Stable lentiviral transformation of CHO cells for the expression of the hemagglutinin H5 of avian influenza virus in suspension culture.

Avian influenza virus H5N1 has caused extensive damage worldwide among poultry and humans. Effective expression systems are needed for the production of viral proteins required for monitoring this devastating disease. The present study deals with the establishment of a stable expression system for the hemagglutinin H5 (HA) of avian influenza virus using CHO cells in suspension culture transduced with a recombinant lentiviral vector.

Subunit influenza vaccine candidate based on CD154 fused to HAH5 increases the antibody titers and cellular immune response in chickens.

World Health Organization has a great concern about the spreading of avian influenza virus H5N1. To counteract its massive spread, poultry vaccination is highly recommended together with biosecurity measures. In our study, a recombinant vaccine candidate based on the fusion of extracellular segments of hemagglutinin (HA) H5 of avian influenza virus and chicken CD154 (HACD) is tested with the aim of enhancing humoral and cellular immune responses in chickens.