Display of respiratory syncytial virus epitopes on ferritin protein cage for potential application as vaccine

• Main Author: Law, Boyce Hong Ping
• Other Authors: Lim, Sierin
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Bioengineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/61555
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a highly contagious virus, which causes lower respiratory tract disease among infants and young children. Approximately 125,000 children are hospitalized each year. No vaccine is available for RSV infections up to date, making the development of a safe and effective RSV vaccine one of the world’s top health priorities. Ferritin, an ubiquitous protein, functions to oxidize and store the excess iron in the blood, and release it in a controlled manner. Extensive researches over the decades show the ferritin’s ability to form highly complex protein cages, well-suited for antigen presentation and immune stimulation. Once such example was demonstrated by fusion of H1N1 influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) onto ferritin surface resulting in protruding viral spikes from ferritin surface. By using similar approach, RSV epitopes can be fused and displayed on ferritin protein cages and hence allow for application of potential RSV vaccine.