Hepatitis B core–based virus–like particles to present heterologous epitopes

Abstract

Since the first effort to recombinantly express the hepatitis B core protein (HBc) in bacteria, the remarkable virion-like structure has fuelled interest in unraveling the structural and antigenic properties of this protein. Initial studies proved HBc virus-like particles to possess strong immunogenic properties, which can be conveyed to linked antigens. More than 35 years later, numerous studies have been performed using HBc as a carrier protein for antigens derived from over a dozen different pathogens and diseases. In this review, the authors highlight the intriguing features of HBc as carrier and antigen, illustrated by some examples and experimental results that underscore the value of HBc as an antigen-presenting platform. Two of these HBc fusions, targeting influenza A and malaria, have even progressed into clinical testing. In the future, the HBc-based virus-like particles platform will probably continue to be used for the display of poorly immunogenic antigens, mainly because virus-like particle formation by HBc capsomers is compatible with nearly any available recombinant gene expression system.

Keywords::

• arrayed epitope display
• B-cell immunity
• hepatitis B virus
• influenza
• malaria
• T-cell immunity
• virus-like particles

Financial & competing interests disclosure

K Roose is supported by SBO grant number 110038 from IWT-Flanders. Research in the Saelens group is supported by FWO grant 3G037510 and Ghent University grant BOF12/GOA/014 and by a research grant from Sanofi Pasteur. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript