Optimized conditions for preserving stability and integrity of porcine circovirus type2 virus-like particles during long-term storage

•Methods to detect the stability and integrity of PCV2 VLPs were established.•15% trehalose in storage buffer promoted long-term preservation of PCV2 VLPs.•These refined storage conditions are expected to enhance PCV2 VLPs use in vaccines.

Although porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) virus-like particles (VLPs) have been successfully harvested from various protein expression systems, conditions to promote their stability and integrity during long-term storage have not been well defined since only the intact VLPs, instead of the monomeric capsid protein (Cap), can induce neutralizing antibodies in pigs in previous studies. In this study, freshly prepared PCV2 VLPs were stored in several media (various concentrations of NaCl, sorbitol, sucrose and trehalose) at three temperatures (4 °C, −20 °C and −80 °C) and their stability and integration were evaluated after 7 month. Addition of 15% trehalose in storage buffer promoted long-term preservation of PCV2 VLPs. In contrast, storage buffer with 5% osmolytes (sucrose, trehalose and sorbitol) did not confer stabilization for long-term storage. These refined storage conditions for stabilization of PCV2 VLPs should enhance their use in vaccines.