Carbon nanotubes-loaded subunit vaccine can increase protective immunity against rhabdovirus infections of largemouth bass (Micropterus Salmoides).

Micropterus Salmoides rhabdovirus (MSRV), as a common aquatic animal virus, can cause lethal and epidemic diseases in the cultivation of largemouth bass. In this study, we reported a kind of immersion single-walled carbon nanotubes-loaded subunit vaccine which composited by glycoprotein (G) of MSRV, and evaluated its protective effect on largemouth bass. The results showed that a stronger immune response including serum antibody levels, enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase and total antioxidant capacity), complement C3 content and immune-related genes (IgM, TGF-β, IL-1β, IL-8, TNF-α, CD4) expression can be induced obviously with single-walled carbon nanotubes-glycoprotein (SWCNTs-G) groups compared with G groups when largemouth bass were vaccinated. After bath immunization with G or SWCNTs-G for 28 days, fish were challenged with a lethal dose of MSRV. The survival rates for control group (PBS), SWCNTs group (40 mg L−1), pure G protein groups (40 mg L−1) and three SWCNTs-G groups (5 mg L−1, 10 mg L−1 and 40 mg L−1) were 0%, 0%, 39.5%, 36.7%, 43.6%and 70.1%, respectively. Importantly, with the assistance of SWCNTs, the immune protective rate of the SWCNTs-G group (40 mg L−1) increased by approximately 30.6%. This study suggested that SWCNTs-G is a promising immersion subunit vaccine candidate against the death caused by MSRV.