Studies on HBcAg-rBlo t 5-21 Fusion Protein Vaccine That Alleviates Blomia tropicalis Airway Inflammation

Abstract

Background: In tropical and subtropical areas, allergens from the dust mite species Blomia tropicalis are common causes of allergic rhinitis and asthma. Blomia tropicalis has two main allergens: Blo t 5 and Blo t 21. Aim: To generate a chimeric virus-like particle containing HBcAg, Blo t 5 and Blo t 21 that can treat allergies caused by Blomia tropicalis. Methods: To produce allergic asthma in mice, prokaryotic expression and purification of Blomia tropicalis allergens rBlo t 5, rBlo t 21, and recombinant fusion allergen rBlo t 5–21 were utilized in the study. We created a hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) and rBlo t 5–21 fusion prokaryotic expression plasmid. HBcAg-rBlo t 5–21 was purified after expression and tested by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Furthermore, the protein HBcAg-rBlo t 5–21 was employed as a protein vaccination. Results: In allergy-induced mouse model experiments, the fusion allergen rBlo t 5–21 was more effective than the individual allergens rBlo t 5 and rBlo t 21 at inducing allergy. We found that vaccinating allergic mice with the recombinant fusion protein vaccine HBcAg-rBlo t 5–21 alleviated allergy symptoms elicited by the rBlo t 5–21 allergen. Vaccination with HBcAg-rBlo t 5–21 resulted in a decrease in total serum IgE levels, suppression of anaphylaxis, and reduction of inflammatory cell infiltration into lung tissue as compared to the PBS group. Conclusion: HBcAg-rBlo t 5–21, a protein vaccine containing both the hepatitis B core antigen and the Blomia tropicalis fusion allergen rBlo t 5–21, could be a suitable vaccination for preventing allergy disorders caused by Blomia tropicalis.