Cytotoxic T lymphocytes in protection against equine infectious anemia virus

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) are associated with virus control in horses infected with equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV). Early in infection, control of the initial viremia coincides with the appearance of CTL and occurs before the appearance of neutralizing antibody. In carrier horses, treatment with immunosuppressive drugs results in viremia before a change in serum neutralizing antibody occurs. Clearance of initial viremia caused by other lentiviruses, including human immunodeficiency virus-1 and simian immunodeficiency virus, is also associated with CTL and not neutralizing antibody. In addition, depletion of CD8+ cells prior to infection of rhesus monkeys with simian immunodeficiency prevents clearance of virus and the same treatment of persistently infected monkeys results in viremia. Cats given adoptive transfers of lymphocytes from vaccinated cats were protected and the protection was MHC-restricted, occurred in the absence of antiviral humoral immunity, and correlated with the transfer of cells with feline immunodeficiency virus-specific CTL and T-helper lymphocyte activities. Therefore, a lentiviral vaccine, including one for EIAV, needs to induce CTL. Based on initial failures to induce CTL to EIAV proteins by any means other than infection, we attempted to define an experimental system for the evaluation of methods for CTL induction. CTL epitopes restricted by the ELA-A1 haplotype were identified and the MHC class I molecule presenting these peptides was identified. This was done by expressing individual MHC class I molecules from cDNA clones in target cells. The target cells were then pulsed with peptides and used with effector CTL stimulated with the same peptides. In a preliminary experiment, immunization of three ELA-A1 haplotype horses with an Env peptide restricted by this haplotype resulted in CTL in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) which recognized the Env peptide and virus-infected cells, but the CTL response was transient. Nevertheless there was significant protection against clinical disease following EIAV challenge of these immunized horses when compared with three control horses given the same virus challenge. These data indicated that responses to peptides in immunized horses needed to be enhanced. Optimal CTL responses require help from CD4+ T lymphocytes, and experiments were done to identify EIAV peptides which stimulated CD4+ T lymphocytes in PBMC from infected horses with different MHC class II types. Two broadly cross-reactive Gag peptides were identified which stimulated only an interferon gamma response by CD4+ T lymphocytes, which indicated a T helper 1 response is needed for CTL stimulation. Such peptides should facilitate CTL responses; however, other problems in inducing protection against lentiviruses remain, the most significant of them being EIAV variants that can escape both CTL and neutralizing antibody. A possible solution to CTL escape variants is the induction of high-avidity CTL to multiple EIAV epitopes.     

The determination of in vivo envelope-specific cell-mediated immune responses in equine infectious anemia virus-infected ponies

Distinct from human lentivirus infection, equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV)-infected horses will eventually enter an inapparent carrier state in which virus replication is apparently controlled by adaptive immune responses. Although recrudescence of disease can occur after immune suppression, the actual immune correlate associated with protection has yet to be determined. Therefore, EIAV provides a model for investigating immune-mediated protective mechanisms against lentivirus infection. Here, we have developed a method to monitor EIAV-envelope specific cellular immunity in vivo. An EIA carrier horse with no clinical signs infected 7 years ago and 4 related experimental ponies infected 6 months previously were used in this study. Forty-four 20-mer peptides, representing the entire surface unit protein (gp90) of EIAV, were combined into 14 peptide pools and intradermally injected into the neck of EIAV-infected horses. An identical volume of saline alone was injected into a fifteenth site as a negative control. After 48h, those sites with palpable infiltrations were measured prior to the collection of 2mm and 4mm punch biopsies. Total RNA was extracted from each 2mm biopsy for determination of CD3 and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) mRNA expression by real-time PCR. The 4mm skin biopsies were formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded for immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining for CD3, CD20, CD25 and MAC387 (macrophage marker). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were obtained prior to the injection and tested for in vitro reactivity against the same peptides. Histological examination showed that some of the envelope peptides elicited a lymphocytic cellular infiltration at the injection site, as evidenced by positive staining for CD3. Gp90 peptide-specific increases in CD3 and IFN-γ gene expression were also detected in the injection sites. Furthermore, differences were found between in vivo and in vitro responses to gp90 specific peptides. These results demonstrate a novel method for detecting in vivo cell-mediated immune responses to EIAV-specific peptides that is readily applicable to other host/pathogen systems.     

利用Real-time PCR对外周血白细胞中EIAV前病毒及血浆中病毒RNA含量的测定

利用Real-time PCR和Real-time RT-PCR方法对马传染性贫血病(EIA)驴白细胞弱毒疫苗(DLA-EIAV)、DLA-EIAV感染性分子克隆衍生毒(vOK8226)、强弱毒嵌合病毒(vOKVltr)以及EIA强毒接种马后不同时期外周血白细胞中前病毒含量及血浆中病毒含量进行了监测,结果发现直接攻击强毒的2匹马及1匹接种vOK8226后再用强毒攻击的马血浆中病毒含量快速升高,伴随着明显的临床反应,最后均以死亡结束.其它免疫接种马在攻击强毒后均获得保护,没有发病,马血浆中有低水平病毒存在,攻毒后3个月血浆中检测不到病毒,说明感染马体内病毒的大量增殖与疾病的进程有着直接的关系.而外周血白细胞中前病毒的含量在各试验马各时期均能检测到,说明EIAV以前病毒的形式潜伏在感染马体内,疫苗的免疫只能控制发病,而不能清除感染的病毒.     

Design and validation of an ELISA for equine infectious anemia (EIA) diagnosis using synthetic peptides

Three peptides derived from the equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) surface proteins were synthesized to design and validate an ELISA for EIA diagnosis. Peptides identified as gp90-I and gp90-II correspond to the N- and C-terminal part of the surface glycoprotein gp90. Peptide gp45-1 overlaps the immunodominant epitope CIERTHVFC of the transmembrane glycoprotein gp45, and includes a hydrophilic chain close to the N-terminal end of this nonapeptide loop. Serum samples from 140 naturally infected horses with EIAV and a panel of 167 non-immune equine sera obtained from non-infected animals were used. Differences in reactivity between positive and negative serum samples were clearly distinguished. Samples considered weak positive to the agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) test were "true" positive in the ELISA. These results are consistent with the improved sensitivity of the ELISA in comparison with the AGID test. The cyclic peptide that mimics the immunodominant sequence of gp45 showed excellent reactivity, thus suggesting that its functional activity depends significantly on its conformation, since very low reactivity was observed in the linear form of the peptide. The detectability indices of positive and negative sera reached 98% when gp90-II and gp45-I synthetic peptides were used in the same assay, illustrating the high specificity and sensitivity of the assay. Our study represents a first approach for the design of a diagnostic kit, which would allow the rapid analysis of a large numbers of serum samples from horses, and could be applied in endemic areas with different prevalence of infection.     

Multiple RNA splicing and the presence of cryptic RNA splice donor and acceptor sites may contribute to low expression levels and poor immunogenicity of potential DNA vaccines containing the env gene of equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV)

The env gene is an excellent candidate for inclusion in any DNA-based vaccine approach against equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV). Unfortunately, this gene is subjected to mutational pressure in E. coli resulting in the introduction of stop codons at the 5' terminus unless it is molecularly cloned using very-low-copy-number plasmid vectors. To overcome this problem, a mammalian expression vector was constructed based on the low-copy-number pLG338-30 plasmid. This permitted the production of full-length EIAV env gene clones (plcnCMVenv) from which low-level expression of the viral surface unit glycoprotein (gp90) was detected following transfection into COS-1 cells. Although this suggested the nuclear export of complete env mRNA moieties at least two additional polypeptides of 29 and 20kDa (probably Rev) were produced by alternative splicing events as demonstrated by the fact that their synthesis was prevented by mutational inactivation of EIAV env splice donor 3 (SD3) site. The plcnCMVenv did not stimulate immune responses in mice or in horses, whereas an env construct containing an inactivated SD3 site (plcnCMVDeltaSD3) did induce weak humoral responses against gp90 in mice. This poor immunogenicty in vivo was probably not related to the inherent antigenicity of the proteins encoded by these constructs but to some fundamental properties of EIAV env gene expression. Attempts to modify one of these properties by mutational inactivation of known viral RNA splice sites resulted in activation of previously unidentified cryptic SD and slice acceptor sites.     

马传染性贫血病毒强毒株gag和gp45基因的体内进化分析

为研究马传染性贫血病毒(EIAV)强毒株体内进化规律,将3匹马分别以1×105 TCID50/匹接种EIAVLN40强毒株后,在不同时间点采取外周血,分离单核白细胞。提取白细胞中的DNA,并以其为模板,应用套式PCR技术分别扩增EIAV前病毒DNA的p15,p9和gp45基因,经克隆后进行序列分析。结果显示,与接种前EIAVLN40相比较,p15基因核苷酸和氨基酸平均差异率分别为1.8%(0～2.9%)和1.7%(0～3.6%);p9分别为2.5%(0.3%～3.8%)和2.9%(0～4.8%);gp45-Ⅰ分别为1.3%(0.3%～2.1%)和1.8%(0～3.2%),gp45-Ⅱ分别为2.1%(0～3.4%)和2.6%(0～4.7%)。在EIA发热期,每个基因核苷酸和氨基酸差异率最小;在亚临床阶段,每个基因平均差异率总体上相对较高。氨基酸变异位点分析发现,发病期(2-2、3-1)各基因氨基酸序列回复到亲本株EIAVLN40,其余时期p15基因氨基酸稳定变异位点16N/S、88T/S和112M/E;p9基因115E/G和122K/M;gp45-Ⅰ基因9T/F/L;gp45-Ⅱ基因21E/K和29G/S。此外,p15基因进化树结果显示,发热期(2-2、3-1)p15基因序列与EIAVLN40序列处于同一分支上,亚临床阶段大多数p15基因序列处于另一个大分支上;其他基因进化情况与p15基因类似。对EIAV p15、p9、gp45基因体内进化分析,有助于对EIAV在马体内感染进程的研究,为进一步研究EIAV持续感染和逃避免疫监视的机制提供参考。     

Use of western blot and radioimmunoprecipitation for diagnosis of feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus infections.

The uses and limitations of the western blot (WB) and radioimmunoprecipitation assay (RIPA) techniques for study of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and FeLV were evaluated. Western blot analysis was used to detect antigenic relatedness between the 2 lentiviruses. Using a rabbit serum directed against p26 of the equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) and anti-EIAV horse serum obtained from an infected horse, cross-reactivity with p24 of FIV was revealed. Cat sera obtained late after experimentally induced FIV infection recognized p26 of EIAV, which indicates reciprocal cross-reactivity. For RIPA, FIV was metabolically labeled, and virus-coded proteins were identified, using immunoprecipitation. Polypeptides with apparent molecular mass of about 15, 24, 43, 50, 120, and 160 kilodaltons were detected. An additional polypeptide of 10 kilodaltons was found only by use of WB analysis.     

重组杆状病毒表达的EIAV Env蛋白与含有env基因重组痘苗病毒的联合免疫

目的：构建新型的马传染性贫血病毒（EIAV）的候选疫苗。方法：利用BAC-To-BAC杆状病毒表达系统,将中国马传贫驴白细胞弱毒疫苗（EIAVDLV）及其亲本株（EIAVLN）env基因导入到杆状病毒基因组中。转染昆虫细胞后,得到的重组病毒用SDS-PAGE和Western blot检测表达产物。以本实验室构建的含有EIAVEnv基因的重组痘苗病毒,单独或与重组杆状病毒表达的EIAVEnv蛋白联合免疫小鼠。结果：构建的重组杆状病毒能正确表达全长Env蛋白。与单独免疫组相比,联合免疫组免疫应答显著增强,其中中和抗体的滴度提高5—9倍。结论：含有EIAVEnv基因的重组痘苗病毒与Env蛋白抗原联合务埔．能够诱导高滴座的中和抗体．     

Gene immunization of mice with plasmid DNA expressing rabies virus glycoprotein

Gene immunization can be an effective vaccine strategy eliciting both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses. We constructed plasmid vectors expressing the full-length Vnukovo-32 rabies virus glycoprotein G under the control of CMV IE promoter and enhancer, adenovirus tripartite leader sequences and poly A signal of SV40. The gene vaccines were evaluated for the ability to elicit neutralizing antibodies and to protect BALB/c mice against lethal rabies virus challenge. First, mice were injected intramuscularly (i.m.) into the left hind leg and by the intradermoplantar (i.d.p.) route with equal amounts of plasmid DNA (0.25-0.1 mg). Two weeks later, immunization was boosted with an additional dose of the DNA. The immunized mice were challenged by intracerebral (i.c.) inoculation of CVS-27 (10-50 LD50) rabies virus. All mice produced anti-rabies virus neutralizing antibodies with a titre of > or = 1:45 after immunization with 0.1-0.4 mg of DNA. In challenge experiments, 83 to 91.6% protection was observed. These results confirm that a DNA vaccine could be a simple and effective solution for preventing the spread of rabies.     

猴免疫缺陷病毒p27蛋白单克隆抗体结合抗原表位的鉴定

为鉴定抗猴免疫缺陷病毒(SIV)衣壳蛋白p27单克隆抗体(MAb) p27-A5、p27-C7和p27-D2所识别的抗原表位,本研究通过间接ELISA法相加试验对这3株MAbs结合抗原表位进行初步分析,并利用部分重叠的短肽对MAbs的结合抗原表位进行鉴定.结果表明p27-C7和p27-A5的结合抗原表位位于p27蛋白的aa61～aa76(氨基酸序列为61SEGCTPYDINQMLNCV76);p27-D2的结合抗原表位则位于aa191～aa206(氨基酸序列为191EQTDAAVKNWMTQTLL206).该结果为进一步深入了解p27的抗原特性和建立该蛋白的检测方法奠定了基础.     

Phage display identifies two Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis Virus env epitopes

ABSTRACT: Using phage display and IgG of a goat infected with Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis Virus (CAEV) we obtained families of 7 mer constrained peptides with consensus motifs LxSDPF/Y and SWN/KHWSY and mapped the epitopes mimicked by them at the Env 6-LISDPY-11 and 67-WNTYHW-72 sites of the mature gp135 amino acid sequence. The first epitope fell into the N-terminal immunogenic aa1-EDYTLISDPYGFS- aa14 site identified previously with a synthetic peptide approach; the second epitope has not been described previously. The first epitope is mostly conserved across CAEV isolates whereas the second newly described epitope is extremely conserved in Small Ruminant Lentiviruses env sequences. As being immunodominant, the epitopes are candidate targets for mimotope-mediated diagnosis and/or neutralization.     

马传染性贫血病毒阿根廷流行毒株前病毒gag和gp90基因在马体内的变异分析

为建立美洲马传贫毒株和我国弱毒疫苗株鉴别诊断PCR，对接种马传贫阿根廷流行毒株后马4个发热期（23、40、51和70d）外周血单核细胞前病毒DNA gag基因和gP90基因的核苷酸序列进行了监测，经过序列分析发现4个发热期中前病毒gag基因核苷酸序列变化不明显，变异率在1％之内，表明前病毒gag基因在马体内比较保守，可以作为设计鉴别诊断引物的区域；gp90区的基因变化比较大，核苷酸序列变异率在8％～10％之间，通过对几个发热期核苷酸序列推导氨基酸的分析，可以划分出A1、A2、A3和A44个可变区，但其中A1和A4变异都很稳定，在马体发病的整个过程中均只发生1次变异，而A2区第3个发热期变异后，在第4个发热期又回复了突变。对马传染性贫血病毒阿根廷代表毒株前病毒gag和gp90基因核甘酸序列的动念检测结果表明，马传贫病毒在马体整合为前病毒之后比较稳定，这就为建立PCR鉴别诊断方法提供了依据。     

通过暂时免疫抑制研究跨膜蛋白C末端缺失对EIAV疫苗株EIAV_(FDDV12)体内复制的影响

马传染性贫血病毒(EIAV)减毒疫苗是世界首例慢病毒疫苗,但其作用机理尚不明了。我们的前期研究发现EIAV疫苗株EIAVFDDV12编码跨膜蛋白gp45的基因在马体内发生高频率G2230A点突变形成终止子,使该蛋白C末端出现154个氨基酸的截短。为了探讨该截短蛋白对EIAV疫苗株生物学特性的作用,本研究以EIAV弱毒疫苗株感染性克隆基础上,构建了gp45截短型感染性克隆,脂质体转染细胞,增殖传代,获得病毒株EIAVFDDVTM-36,接种到马体内。在接种后167 d内未观察到临床症状,连续注射10 d地塞米松以暂时抑制免疫系统,并用迟发性超敏反应和淋巴细胞增殖实验评价免疫抑制效果。结果显示,截短型跨膜蛋白疫苗株EIAVFDDVTM-36接种组免疫抑制前后病毒载量和中和抗体效价差异不显著,而完整型跨膜蛋白疫苗株感染性克隆EIAVFDDVTM-45接种组4匹马中3匹免疫抑制后病毒载量显著上升,同时组内中和抗体效价明显提高。以上结果表明,马体特异性免疫压力对EIAVFDDVTM-36复制无影响,而对亲本株EIAVFDDVTM-45复制有抑制,显示跨膜蛋白截短型EIAV作为疫苗更为安全。但免疫抑制造成的gp45跨膜蛋白未截短型疫苗株感染性克隆体内病毒载量升高,可以促使机体产生更高的中和抗体效价,提示该疫苗的安全性和有效性在一定程度内呈负相关(相互制约)。因此,安全性和有效性的平衡是慢病毒减毒疫苗研发需注意的重要因素。     

Humoral and cell-mediated immune responses of old horses following recombinant canarypox virus vaccination and subsequent challenge infection

Equine influenza virus is a leading cause of respiratory disease in the horse population; however, the susceptibility of old horses to EIV infection remains unknown. While advanced age in horses (>20 years) is associated with age-related changes in immune function, there are no specific recommendations regarding the vaccination of older horses even though a well-characterized effect of aging is a reduced antibody response to standard vaccination. Therefore, we evaluated the immunological and physiological response of aged horses to a live non-replicating canarypox-vectored EIV vaccine and subsequent challenge infection. Vaccination of the aged horses induced EIV-specific IgGb and HI antibodies. No specific increase in cell-mediated immune (CMI) response was induced by the vaccine as determined by EIV-specific lymphoproliferation and the detection of EIV-specific IFNγ⁺ CD5⁺T cells, IFNγ, IL-2, IL-4 and IL-13 mRNA expression. Non-vaccinated aged horses exhibited clinical signs of the disease (coughing, nasal discharge, dyspnea, depression, anorexia) as well as increased rectal temperature and viral shedding following challenge. Concomitant with the febrile episodes, we also observed increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNA production in vivo using RT-PCR. Naïve horses were included in this study for vaccine and challenge controls only. As expected, the canarypox-vectored EIV vaccine stimulated significant CMI and humoral immune responses and provided significant protection against clinical signs of disease and reduced virus shedding in naive horses. Here, we show that aged horses remain susceptible to infection with equine influenza virus despite the presence of circulating antibodies and CMI responses to EIV and vaccination with a canarypox-vectored EIV vaccine provides protection from clinical disease.     

马传染性贫血病毒p26蛋白单克隆抗体的制备

为制备马传染性贫血病毒(EIAV)的单克隆抗体(MAb),本研究以原核表达并纯化的EIAV p26蛋白作为免疫原免疫8周龄的BALB/c小鼠,利用淋巴细胞杂交瘤技术,建立抗EIAV衣壳蛋白p26抗体的杂交瘤细胞.应用重组p26蛋白为抗原建立ELISA筛选方法,获得两株能够稳定分泌特异性MAb的杂交瘤细胞株,分别命名为E11和F8.经试验证明,这些抗p26MAb均能够与感染驴胎皮肤细胞的EIAV和经SDS-PAGE分离的EIAV总蛋白中的p26蛋白结合.这两株p26蛋白MAb的获得将为EIAV的检测及鉴别诊断奠定基础.     

马传染性贫血病毒自然感染马LTR序列分析

我国从20世纪70年代开始使用EIAV弱毒疫苗后,在全国范围内基本控制了马传贫的发生,我们从现地少数EIAV琼扩阳性马外周血中扩增并克隆了二株EIAV前病毒5'LTR序列,并与国内外毒株5'LTR序列进行了比较分析,发现中国EIAV LTR特有的特异性细胞转录因子结合基序,同时发现PEA2位点不是强毒特有的基序,在弱毒中亦发现该基序.     

Differential responses of Equus caballus and Equus asinus to infection with two pathogenic strains of equine infectious anemia virus

Most in vivo studies with equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) have been performed in horses and ponies (Equus caballus) with little published information available detailing the clinical responses of donkeys (Equus asinus) to infection with this virus. Consequently, donkeys were inoculated with two strains of EIAV (EIAV(PV) and EIAV(WY)) which have been documented to produce disease in E. caballus. Four ponies, 561, 562, 564 and 567 and two donkeys, 3 and 5 were infected with EIAV(PV) and one horse (94-10) and one donkey (4) were infected with EIAV(WY). Although the horse and ponies all experienced clinical signs of disease, which in some cases were severe, the donkeys remained asymptomatic throughout a 365-day observation period, except for mild transient reductions in platelet counts. The results from serological assays, virus isolation from plasma and detection of plasma-associated viral RNA by RT-PCR, indicated that initial replication of EIAV(PV) and EIAV(WY) was lower in donkeys than in horses and ponies. This conclusion was confirmed using competitive RT-PCR, in which viral RNA levels in the plasma of EIAV(PV)-infected ponies was up to 100,000-fold higher than in infected donkeys during the first 20 days post-infection (dpi). Similar results were obtained in the EIAV(WY)-infected animals, in which viral RNA burdens in the donkey at 20 dpi were 1000-fold less than in the horse. However, infection of donkey and horse monocyte-derived macrophage cultures with EIAV(PV) demonstrated that these cells in vitro were equally susceptible to virus-induced cytopathic effects and yielded similar levels of progeny virus. This result suggests that factors other than host cell permissiveness mediate the clinical differences observed between horses and donkeys infected with EIAV(PV) or EIAV(WY).