Investigation of antigen and route of administration for the development of human norovirus vaccine.

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19H03702
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 54030:Infectious disease medicine-related
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: SATO Shintaro 大阪大学, 微生物病研究所, 特任准教授(常勤) (80447333)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: ヒトノロウイルス / ワクチン開発 / 腸管上皮細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

With the aim of developing an effective vaccine against human norovirus (HuNoV), we planned to 1) compare virus-like particles (VLPs) and inactivated whole particles as vaccine antigens and 2) compare injectable and transmucosal forms as routes of administration. However, the in vitro growth efficiency of viral whole particles was not improved beyond our initial expectations, and we only evaluated (2) when VLPs were used as antigens. As a result, VLPs were able to induce the production of antigen-specific serum IgG in both injectable and oral forms, and oral administration without the addition of adjuvant was further confirmed to produce serum IgG and IgA with neutralizing activity and secretory IgA in the intestinal lavage fluid.

Free Research Field

粘膜免疫学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

HuNoVのin vitro増殖系が確立されたことで、VLPをワクチン抗原とした場合に中和活性を有した特異的抗体が産生されることが研究室で簡便に行えるようになった。第一世代のHuNoVワクチンはほとんどがVLPを抗原とする注射型であるが、VLPの大量調整が可能なのであれば、経口接種によりアジュバントの添加無しに中和活性を有した血清IgG、IgA、分泌型IgA産生が確認されたことから、投与経路としてはやはり経粘膜の方が効率的であるということを示すことが出来た。