Generation and immunogenicity of virus-like particles based on mink enteritis virus capsid protein VP2 expressed in Sf9 cells.

Mink enteritis virus (MEV) is a parvovirus that causes acute enteritis in mink. The capsid protein VP2 of MEV is a major immunogenicity that is important for disease prevention. In this study, this protein was expressed in Spodoptera frugiperda 9 cells using a recombinant baculovirus system and was observed to self-assemble into virus-like particles (VLPs) with a high hemagglutination (HA) titer (1:216). A single-dose injection of VLPs (HA titer, 1:256) resulted in complete protection of mink against virulent MEV challenge for at least 180 days. These data suggest that these MEV VLPs could be used as a vaccine for the prevention of viral enteritis in mink.