Construction and Immunogenicity of Recombinant Swinepox Virus Expressing Outer Membrane Protein L of Salmonella

Salmonella spp. are gram-negative flagellated bacteria that cause a variety of diseases in humans and animals, ranging from mild gastroenteritis to severe systemic infection. To explore development of a potent vaccine against Salmonella infections, the gene encoding outer membrane protein L (ompL) was inserted into the swinepox virus (SPV) genome by homologous recombination. PCR, western blot, and immunofluorescence assays were used to verify the recombinant swinepox virus rSPV-OmpL. The immune responses and protection efficacy of rSPV-OmpL were assessed in a mouse model. Forty mice were assigned to four groups, which were immunized with rSPV-OmpL, inactive Salmonella (positive control), wild-type SPV (wtSPV; negative control), or PBS (challenge control), respectively. The OmpL-specific antibody in the rSPV-OmpL-immunized group increased dramatically and continuously over time post-vaccination, and was present at a significantly higher level than in the positive control group (p < 0.05). The concentrations of IFN-γ and IL-4, which represent Th1-type and Th2-type cytokine responses, were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the rSPV-OmpL-vaccinated group than in the other three groups. After intraperitoneal challenge with a lethal dose of Salmonella typhimurium CVCC542, eight out of ten mice in the rSPV-OmpL-vaccinated group were protected, whereas all the mice in the negative control and challenge control groups died within 3 days. Passive immune protection assays showed that hyperimmune sera against OmpL could provide mice with effective protection against challenge from S. typhimurium. The recombinant swinepox virus rSPV-OmpL might serve as a promising vaccine against Salmonella infection.