Abstract
Hypothesis: Virus-like particles (VLPs) are promising scaffolds for developing mucosal vaccines. For their optimal performance, in addition to design parameters from an immunological perspective, biophysical properties may need to be considered. Experiments: We investigated the mechanical properties of VLPs scaffolded on the coat protein of Acinetobacter phage AP205 using atomic force microscopy and small angle X-ray scattering. Findings: Investigations showed that AP205 VLP is a tough nanoshell of stiffness 93 ± 23 pN/nm and elastic modulus 0.11 GPa. However, its mechanical properties are modulated by attaching muco-inert polyethylene glycol to 46 ± 10 pN/nm and 0.05 GPa. Addition of antigenic peptides derived from SARS-CoV2 spike protein by genetic fusion increased the stiffness to 146 ± 54 pN/nm although the elastic modulus remained unchanged. These results, which are interpreted in terms of shell thickness and coat protein net charge variations, demonstrate that surface conjugation can induce appreciable changes in the biophysical properties of VLP-scaffolded vaccines. Show more
Permanent link
https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000589656Publication status
publishedExternal links
Journal / series
Journal of Colloid and Interface ScienceVolume
Pages / Article No.
Publisher
ElsevierSubject
Virus-like particle; Mucosal vaccine; Antigen conjugation; atomic force microscopy; Nanomechanical properties; Single particle analysis; Atomic force microscopyOrganisational unit
02207 - Functional Genomics Center Zurich / Functional Genomics Center Zurich
09640 - Wetter Slack, Emma / Wetter Slack, Emma
09640 - Wetter Slack, Emma / Wetter Slack, Emma
03857 - Mezzenga, Raffaele / Mezzenga, Raffaele
Funding
865730 - Systems-level novel understanding of anti-gylcan immunity (EC)
212991 - Systems-level understanding of mucosal immunity using virus-like particle vaccines (SNF)
180953 - Self-assembling glycoprotein nanoparticle vaccines (SNF)
185128 - How to resolve dysbiosis: Understanding and manipulating mechanisms of T cell-microbiota crosstalk (SNF)
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