Expression of Chicken Interferon Kappa in Silkworm-baculovirus Expression System and the Antiviral Activity Assay

YANG Xin;SONG Haozhi;LIU Xingjian;LI Yinyu;ZHANG Zhifang;Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences;

chicken κ interferon;;silkworm baculovirus expression system;;antiviral activity assay

Interferons as an integral component of the host's innate immune system are considered as the first line of defense against invading viral pathogens. Keeping in view, the present study was expected to express and profile the chicken interferon-κ(chIFN-κ) using silkworm baculovirus expression vector system(BEVS). Firstly, based on the reported sequences, the gene sequence of chIFN-κ was codon-optimized, and the recombinant baculovirus for expression was successfully constructed using co-transfection technology. Then, the recombinant baculovirus harboring chIFN-κ was infected in silkworm larva, and a huge quantity of chIFN-κ expression products were successfully obtained. chIFN-κ was detected and verified by Western blot assay using specific antibodies. Cytopathic inhibition assay was performed to validate the effect of chIFN-κ on VSV-GFP-infected primary chicken fibroblasts(CEF). The results revealed that the antiviral effect of chIFN-κ could reach(1.04±0.23)×10~7 IU·mL~(-1) or more. The successful expression strategy of biologically active and high-potency chIFN-κ provided significant experimental data. These experimental findings may lead to the development of future vaccines for the poultry industry.