Virus-like Particle Vaccine for Feline Panleukopenia: Immunogenicity and Protective Efficacy in Cats
Background/Objectives: Feline panleukopenia, caused by FPV, is a highly contagious disease in cats. Current vaccines face challenges including complex production, high cost, and safety risks. Developing safer, more efficient alternatives is crucial. This study aimed to produce FPV virus-like particl...
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/13/7/684 |
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| author | Tongyan Wang Hongchao Wu Yanwei Wang Yang Guan Yujiao Cao Lulu Wang Mengyue Wang Feifei Tan Wenqiang Pang Kegong Tian |
| author_facet | Tongyan Wang Hongchao Wu Yanwei Wang Yang Guan Yujiao Cao Lulu Wang Mengyue Wang Feifei Tan Wenqiang Pang Kegong Tian |
| author_sort | Tongyan Wang |
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| description | Background/Objectives: Feline panleukopenia, caused by FPV, is a highly contagious disease in cats. Current vaccines face challenges including complex production, high cost, and safety risks. Developing safer, more efficient alternatives is crucial. This study aimed to produce FPV virus-like particles (VLPs) using a recombinant baculovirus system expressing the VP2 gene and evaluate their immunogenicity and protective efficacy in cats. Methods: Sf9 insect cells were infected with recombinant baculovirus to express VP2 protein. The VP2 protein was purified using ultrafiltration and size-exclusion chromatography (SEC). Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed the assembly of VLPs. Twenty healthy cats were randomly divided into four groups; three groups received different doses (5 μg, 15 μg, and 45 μg) of FPV VLP vaccine, while the fourth group served as the control group immunized with PBS. Blood samples were collected on day 21 to measure hemagglutination inhibition (HI) and virus-neutralizing (VN) antibody responses. Cats in the 15 μg dose group were challenged with virulent FPV strain 708 on day 21, and clinical signs and white blood cell counts were monitored for 10 days. Results: Immunized cats exhibited significantly higher HI and VN antibody titers compared to controls. After challenge, vaccinated cats showed no clinical signs of disease, and their white blood cell counts remained stable. In contrast, control cats developed severe symptoms and experienced significant leukopenia. Conclusions: The FPV VLP vaccine generated in this study are highly immunogenic and provide effective protection against virulent FPV challenge, demonstrating their potential as a safer vaccine candidate for feline panleukopenia. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5ef94ffee75243f4961efe9d662ec144 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-393X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Vaccines |
| spelling | doaj-art-5ef94ffee75243f4961efe9d662ec1442025-08-20T03:56:46ZengMDPI AGVaccines2076-393X2025-06-0113768410.3390/vaccines13070684Virus-like Particle Vaccine for Feline Panleukopenia: Immunogenicity and Protective Efficacy in CatsTongyan Wang0Hongchao Wu1Yanwei Wang2Yang Guan3Yujiao Cao4Lulu Wang5Mengyue Wang6Feifei Tan7Wenqiang Pang8Kegong Tian9College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, ChinaNational Research Center for Veterinary Medicine, Road Cuiwei, High-Tech District, Luoyang 471003, ChinaNational Research Center for Veterinary Medicine, Road Cuiwei, High-Tech District, Luoyang 471003, ChinaNational Research Center for Veterinary Medicine, Road Cuiwei, High-Tech District, Luoyang 471003, ChinaNational Research Center for Veterinary Medicine, Road Cuiwei, High-Tech District, Luoyang 471003, ChinaNational Research Center for Veterinary Medicine, Road Cuiwei, High-Tech District, Luoyang 471003, ChinaNational Research Center for Veterinary Medicine, Road Cuiwei, High-Tech District, Luoyang 471003, ChinaNational Research Center for Veterinary Medicine, Road Cuiwei, High-Tech District, Luoyang 471003, ChinaNational Research Center for Veterinary Medicine, Road Cuiwei, High-Tech District, Luoyang 471003, ChinaBackground/Objectives: Feline panleukopenia, caused by FPV, is a highly contagious disease in cats. Current vaccines face challenges including complex production, high cost, and safety risks. Developing safer, more efficient alternatives is crucial. This study aimed to produce FPV virus-like particles (VLPs) using a recombinant baculovirus system expressing the VP2 gene and evaluate their immunogenicity and protective efficacy in cats. Methods: Sf9 insect cells were infected with recombinant baculovirus to express VP2 protein. The VP2 protein was purified using ultrafiltration and size-exclusion chromatography (SEC). Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed the assembly of VLPs. Twenty healthy cats were randomly divided into four groups; three groups received different doses (5 μg, 15 μg, and 45 μg) of FPV VLP vaccine, while the fourth group served as the control group immunized with PBS. Blood samples were collected on day 21 to measure hemagglutination inhibition (HI) and virus-neutralizing (VN) antibody responses. Cats in the 15 μg dose group were challenged with virulent FPV strain 708 on day 21, and clinical signs and white blood cell counts were monitored for 10 days. Results: Immunized cats exhibited significantly higher HI and VN antibody titers compared to controls. After challenge, vaccinated cats showed no clinical signs of disease, and their white blood cell counts remained stable. In contrast, control cats developed severe symptoms and experienced significant leukopenia. Conclusions: The FPV VLP vaccine generated in this study are highly immunogenic and provide effective protection against virulent FPV challenge, demonstrating their potential as a safer vaccine candidate for feline panleukopenia.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/13/7/684feline parvovirusvirus-like particles (VLPs)vaccine |
| spellingShingle | Tongyan Wang Hongchao Wu Yanwei Wang Yang Guan Yujiao Cao Lulu Wang Mengyue Wang Feifei Tan Wenqiang Pang Kegong Tian Virus-like Particle Vaccine for Feline Panleukopenia: Immunogenicity and Protective Efficacy in Cats Vaccines feline parvovirus virus-like particles (VLPs) vaccine |
| title | Virus-like Particle Vaccine for Feline Panleukopenia: Immunogenicity and Protective Efficacy in Cats |
| title_full | Virus-like Particle Vaccine for Feline Panleukopenia: Immunogenicity and Protective Efficacy in Cats |
| title_fullStr | Virus-like Particle Vaccine for Feline Panleukopenia: Immunogenicity and Protective Efficacy in Cats |
| title_full_unstemmed | Virus-like Particle Vaccine for Feline Panleukopenia: Immunogenicity and Protective Efficacy in Cats |
| title_short | Virus-like Particle Vaccine for Feline Panleukopenia: Immunogenicity and Protective Efficacy in Cats |
| title_sort | virus like particle vaccine for feline panleukopenia immunogenicity and protective efficacy in cats |
| topic | feline parvovirus virus-like particles (VLPs) vaccine |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/13/7/684 |
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