Development of a novel dual-domain nanoparticle antigen construct for universal influenza vaccine

A highly effective antigen construct for presenting conserved antigen domains is essential to the development of a universal influenza vaccine. We have developed a novel dual-domain nanoparticle fusion protein (DDNFP) which allows independent presentation of two conserved domains. The conserved domains used were from two separate viral surface proteins, M2e of M2 and fusion peptide (FP) or long alpha helix (CD) of HA2. The carrier is a novel nanoparticle protein - the dodecameric DNA binding protein from starved cells (Dps) of bacteria or archaea. Dps was found to be uniquely capable of simultaneous fusion and surface presentation at both N- and C-termini while retaining the ability to form nanoparticles. Thus, DDNFPs with M2e and FP or CD fused at N- and C-termini of Dps from E. coli (EcDps) or other bacteria were first constructed based on the H1 subtype sequences along with corresponding single-domain nanoparticle fusion proteins (SDNFPs). They were expressed at high levels in bacteria and found to form nanoparticles of the expected size (∼9 nm). They were stable against treatment at high temperatures. The DDNFPs (M2e-EcDps-FP and M2e-EcDps-CD) induced strong antibody responses against individual antigen domains and provided full protection against lethal challenge with PR8 virus (H1N1). Importantly, the protection by DDNFPs was synergistically enhanced as compared to SDNFPs. The M2e-EcDps-CD provided an even stronger protection than M2e-EcDps-FP and therefore appeared to be the superior construct. Together, with novel domain combination, enhanced protection and ease of production, this M2e/CD DDNFP could potentially be a highly effective antigen construct for the universal influenza vaccine.