Isolation and identification of a viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) isolate from wild largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides in China

Fish rhabdoviruses are a family of viruses responsible for large‐scale fish die‐offs worldwide. Here, we reported the isolation and identification of a member of rhabdoviruses from wild largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) in the coastal area of the Pearl River Estuary, China. This virus isolate was identified as viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) by specific RT‐PCR. Furthermore, the virus (VHSVLB2018) was isolated by cell culture using fathead minnow cells and confirmed by RT‐PCR. Electron microscopy showed the presence of bullet‐shaped viral particles in the cytoplasm of infected cells. The complete sequencing of VHSVLB2018 confirmed that it was genome configuration typical of rhabdoviruses. Phylogenetic analysis based on whole‐genome sequences and G gene nucleotides sequences revealed that VHSVLB2018 was assigned to VHSV genogroup Ⅳa. The pathogenicity of VHSVLB2018 was determined in infection experiments using specific pathogen‐free largemouth bass juveniles. VHSVLB2018‐infected fish showed typical clinical signs of VHSV disease, including darkened skin, petechial haemorrhages and pale enlarged livers, with the cumulative mortalities reached 63.3%–93.3% by 7 days post‐infection. VHSVLB2018 was re‐isolated from dead fish and confirmed by RT‐PCR. Together, this is the first report of isolation and identification of a VHSV isolate from wild largemouth bass in China.     

Serological techniques for detection of lymphocystis virus in fish

Three serological techniques (indirect immunofluorescence test, flow cytometry, and indirect dot–blot immunoenzymatic assay) have been evaluated for the detection of lymphocystis viral antigens using a gilt-head seabream cell line, SAF-1, and fish leukocytes. Six lymphocystis disease virus (LCDV) isolates from gilt-head seabream, and one reference strain (ATCC VR 342), were tested. Detection of viral LCDV antigens in SAF-1 cells and fish leukocytes by indirect immunofluorescence test occurs at similar periods (5–7 d post-inoculation), and viral antigens were detected as cytoplasmic inclusions located at the periphery of inoculated cells. The percentages of cells with LCDV antigens obtained by flow cytometry were very low, ranging between 0.9% at 5 d post-inoculation and 19.7% at 10 d post-inoculation. The optimal concentration of viral stocks detected by indirect dot–blot immunoenzymatic assay was 0.5 μg ml^–1, when purified viral stocks were used as antigens. Inoculated and uninoculated SAF-1 cells could not be distinguished using LCDV antiserum binding. On the basis of these results, indirect immunofluorescence and flow cytometry tests appear to be the best serological methods to detect LCDV antigens in both SAF-1 cells and fish leukocytes.     

Infectivity study of Streptococcus phocae to seven fish and mammalian cell lines by confocal microscopy

Streptococcus phocae is a beta-haemolytic bacterium that causes systemic infections in Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., cultured in southern Chile and also in seals. In this study, the host-pathogen interaction between S. phocae and seven types of cell lines (fish and mammalian) was examined using an indirect fluorescent antibody and confocal microscopy (CM). Chinook salmon embryo (CHSE-214), epithelioma papulosum cyprini (EPC), salmon head kidney (SHK-1) and Atlantic salmon kidney were used as the fish cell lines, while human cervix epithelial adenocarcinoma (HeLa), African green monkey kidney fibroblast (Cos-7) and mouse leukaemic monocyte macrophage (Raw 264.7) were included as mammalian cell lines. Streptococcus phocae type strain ATCC 51973(T) and isolates LM-08-Sp and P23 were selected as representatives from the salmon and seal host, respectively. For the CM examination, monolayers seeded on round coverslips were studied at 2- and 20-h post-inoculation (pi). The results showed that there is no common infectivity pattern between the three S. phocae strains at 2-h pi and the cell lines tested, regardless of the source of isolation (seal or salmon). All S. phocae strains could internalize and were found inside the fish and mammalian cell cytoplasm after 20-h pi. Regardless of the cells studied (fish or mammal) and incubation (2 and 20 h), S. phocae was never observed inside the nuclei. Seal and salmon isolates showed the highest number of bacteria entering into the primate cell lines (HeLa and Cos-7) from 2-h pi, while ATCC 51973(T) was not found outside or inside the HeLa and Cos-7 cells.     

一株湖北源大口黑鲈蛙病毒的分离鉴定

采用电子显微镜观察和细胞培养等技术, 从湖北黄陂某养殖场患病大口黑鲈(Micropterus salmoides)体内发现并分离到一株蛙病毒。患病大口黑鲈的临床症状主要表现为体表出血、溃疡, 肝脏发白。将病鱼内脏组织匀浆超微滤液接种鳜脑细胞系(mandarin fish brain, MFB)细胞能产生典型细胞病变效应(cytopathic effect, CPE), 病毒滴度达到 10^8.36±0.15 TCID₅₀/mL。细胞培养病毒的超薄切片电镜观察结果显示, 细胞质中存在大量直径约为 150 nm 左右的正六边形病毒粒子, 呈晶格排列。细胞培养病毒的人工感染大口黑鲈试验结果显示, 7 d 内试验鱼死亡率高达 100%, 其临床症状与自然发病鱼相似。采用大口黑鲈病毒(largemouth bass virus, LMBV)的特异性 PCR 检测方法对患病鲈组织样品和细胞培养病毒样品进行检测, 均能扩增出 241 bp 的单一目的条带。进一步根据 GenBank 中 LMBV 主衣壳蛋白(major capsid protein, MCP)基因序列设计特异性引物, 均能从上述样品中扩增出 1392 bp 的 MCP 基因开放阅读框(open reading frame, ORF)全长。将 MCP 氨基酸全序列进行比对, 结果显示其与 Santee-Cooper 蛙病毒、孔雀鱼病毒 6 型及大口黑鲈溃疡综合征病毒的 MCP 氨基酸序列同源性高达 100%。系统进化结果显示, 与感染鱼类的虹彩病毒科蛙病毒属病毒, 如鳜鱼蛙病毒、Santee-Cooper 蛙病毒、孔雀鱼病毒 6 型和大口黑鲈溃疡综合征病毒等聚成一支。这些结果证明, 该分离株为虹彩病毒科蛙病毒属的成员, 暂命名为大口黑鲈蛙病毒(largemouth bass ranavirus, LMBRaV)湖北株 LMBRaV-HB001。病毒敏感细胞系筛选试验结果表明, 病毒 LMBRaV-HB001 感染鲤上皮瘤细胞(epithelioma papulosum cyprinid, EPC)、草鱼性腺细胞(grass carp ovary, GCO)、大鲵肌肉细胞(giant salamander muscle, GSM)和鲫脑组织细胞(gibel carp brain, GiCB)均能产生典型 CPE, 病毒滴度可达 10^8.0 TCID₅₀/mL 以上。本研究首次在湖北省养殖大口黑鲈体内分离与鉴定了 LMBRaV 病毒, 建立了病毒的细胞培养方法, 为进一步研究该病毒的传播、诊断和防控技术提供了重要参考。     

A sandwich ELISA to detect VHSV and IPNV in turbot

The recent demonstration that reared turbot (Scophthalmus maximus L) is a natural host for salmonid rhabdoviruses has made their rapid detection relevant to these fish species. A unique protocol to select and use non-competitive monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) for two high-sensitivity sandwich ELISAs has been developed to detect both infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) and viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) in turbot kidney extracts to assess the possibility of using them in field diagnosis. For maximum sensitivity, turbot kidney extracts can be two-fold diluted with high-ionic strength buffers and assayed for the presence of the major viral proteins (VMS rhabdovirus nucleoprotein N/Nx and/or IPN birnavirus protein VP3). The use of control plates coated with irrelevant mouse antibodies (IgG1 and IgG2a) in parallel ELISAs allows for a precise estimation of possible false positives. Turbot kidney extracts with low levels of virus might now be assayed directly without using cell culture, with high precision and in a short time during the acute phase of these viral diseases in reared turbot.     

Protection conferred against viral nervous necrosis by simultaneous inoculation of aquabirnavirus and inactivated betanodavirus in the sevenband grouper, Epinephelus septemfasciatus (Thunberg)

An aquabirnavirus (ABV) and a formalin-inactivated betanodavirus [redspotted grouper nervous necrosis virus (RGNNV)] were investigated for their potential to prevent RGNNV-induced viral nervous necrosis (VNN) in the sevenband grouper, Epinephelus septemfasciatus (Thunberg). Three groups of fish were injected intramuscularly with ABV, intraperitoneally with inactivated RGNNV (iRGNNV) or with both ABV and iRGNNV. At 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days post-injection (p.i.), fish were challenged by intramuscular injection of RGNNV. Control fish, which received neither ABV nor iRGNNV, showed high mortalities in all RGNNV challenges. Fish that received only ABV exhibited relative percent survival (RPS) of >60 against RGNNV challenges at 3, 7, 14 and 21 days p.i., but not at 28 days p.i., while fish that received only iRGNNV showed significantly higher protection against RGNNV challenges only at 21 and 28 days p.i. In contrast, fish that received both ABV and iRGNNV showed 60 or higher RPS against all RGNNV challenges. Fish inoculated with iRGNNV with or without ABV exhibited similar high titres of neutralizing antibodies to RGNNV at 14, 21 and 28 days p.i. These results indicate that combined inoculation with iRGNNV and ABV conferred both rapid non-specific and delayed specific protection against VNN.     

Evaluating the protective efficacy of antigen combinations against Photobacterium damselae ssp. piscicida infections in cobia,Rachycentron canadum L.

Cobia, Rachycentron canadum L., is a very important aquatic fish that faces the risk of infection with the bacterial pathogen Photobacterium damselae ssp. piscicida, and there are few protective approaches available that use multiple antigens. In the present study, potent bivalent antigens from P. damselae ssp. piscicida showed more efficient protection than did single antigens used in isolation. In preparations of three antigens that included recombinant heat shock protein 60 (rHSP60), recombinant α‐enolase (rENOLASE) and recombinant glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase (rGAPDH), we analysed the doses that elicited the best immune responses and found that this occurred at a total of 30 μg of antigen per fish. Subsequently, vaccination of fish with rHSP60, rENOLASE and rGAPDH achieved 46.9, 52 and 25% relative per cent survival (RPS), respectively. In addition, bivalent subunit vaccines – combination I (rHSP60 + rENOLASE), combination II (rENOLASE + rGAPDH) and combination III (rHSP60 + rGAPDH) – were administered and the RPS in these groups (65.6, 64.0 and 48.4%, respectively), was higher than that achieved with single‐antigen administration. Finally, in combination IV, the trivalent vaccine rHSP60 + rENOLASE + rGAPDH, the RPS was 1.6%. Taken together, our results suggest that combinations of two antigens may achieve a better efficiency than monovalent or trivalent antigens, and this may provide new insights into pathogen prevention strategies.     

Isolation and characterization of a rhabdovirus from co-infection of two viruses in mandarin fish

Co-infection of two viruses has been observed in mandarin fish (Siniperca chuatsi), but the two viruses have not been characterized. In this study, a rhabdovirus has been isolated from the co-infected two viruses extracted from the diseased mandarin fish, and its morphological structure and partial biochemical and biophysical characteristics have been observed and analyzed. The isolated rhabdovirus has a typical bullet shape, and is therefore called S. chuatsi rhabdovirus (SCRV). And, the isolated rhabdovirus produced a higher titer (10^8.5 TCID₅₀ ml^− 1) than did the co-infecting viruses (10^6.5 TCID₅₀ ml^− 1). Subsequently, the viral genome RNA was extracted, and used as template to clone the complete nucleoprotein (N) gene by RT-PCR amplification. Cloning and sequencing of the SCRV N protein revealed 42%-31% amino acid identities to that of trout rhabdovirus 903/87 and the rhabdoviruses in genus Vesiculovirus. SDS-PAGE separation of the isolated SCRV and other two rhabdoviruses also revealed obvious polypeptide profile difference. Moreover, the anti-SCRV N protein antibody was prepared, and the anti-SCRV N protein antibody only could recognize the SCRV N protein, whereas no antigenicity was detected in other two rhabdoviruses. The data suggested that the SCRV should be a rhabdovirus member related to the genus Vesiculovirus in the Rhabdoviridae.     

Virulence of a chimeric recombinant infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus expressing the spring viraemia of carp virus glycoprotein in salmonid and cyprinid fish

Infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) and spring viraemia of carp virus (SVCV) are both rhabdoviruses of fish, listed as notifiable disease agents by the World Organization for Animal Health. Recombinant rhabdoviruses with heterologous gene substitutions have been engineered to study genetic determinants and assess the potential of these recombinant viruses for vaccine development. A recombinant IHNV (rIHNV), containing the full‐length genome of a European IHNV strain, was modified by deleting the glycoprotein (G) gene and replacing it with a European SVCV G‐gene to make the rIHNV‐Gsvcv. The chimeric rIHNV‐Gsvcv level of virulence in rainbow trout, common carp and koi was assessed, and its ability to induce a protective immune response in surviving koi against wild‐type SVCV infection was tested. The rIHNV‐Gsvcv infection of trout led to high mortality, ranging from 78% to 92.5%, after immersion. In contrast, no deaths occurred in juvenile common carp after infection with rIHNV‐Gsvcv by either immersion or intraperitoneal (IP) injection. Similarly, koi infected with rIHNV‐Gsvcv via IP injection had little to no mortality (≤9%). Koi that survived initial infection with a high dose of recombinant virus rIHNV‐Gsvcv were protected against a virulent SVCV challenge resulting in a high relative per cent survival of 82.5%.     

Studies of the ultrastructure and morphogenesis of fish pathogenic viruses grown in cell culture

A birnavirus (infectious pancreatic necrosis virus, IPNV), three rhabdoviruses (viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus, VHSV; infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus, IHNV; and spring viraemia of carp virus, SVCV) and an iridovirus (isolate from a sheatfish) were investigated with regard to their morphogenetic interactions with cells in culture. In cells infected with birnavirus, a granular viromatrix, single virions randomly distributed in the cytoplasm, viral particles aggregated in pseudocrystals and cytoplasmic tubuli similar in diameter to that of the virus were found. Rhabdoviruses entered the cells by viropexis and replicated within the cytoplasm. Maturation occurred predominantly at the cell membrane and sporadically at membranes of the Golgi cisternae. Inclusion bodies were found partially consisting of viral nucleocapsids. After budding, new virions were found adsorbed to the cell membrane. Viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus, known to exhibit an atypical shape because of preparative procedures, could be identified by immunostaining using two monoclonal antibodies directed against G- and N-proteins and colloidal gold. Iridoviruses entered the cells by viropexis. Viral particles were found in coated vesicles. Subsequently, vesicles without a clathrin coat were detected. Replication occurred within prominent cytoplasmic inclusion bodies. Isometric viral nucleocapsids were transported in an unknown manner to the cell membrane and matured by budding.     

Mass mortalities associated with viral nervous necrosis (VNN) disease in two species of hatchery-reared grouper, Epinephelus fuscogutatus and Epinephelus akaara (Temminck & Schlegel)

Mass mortalities of hatchery-reared juvenile groupers have occurred in southern Taiwan. The diseased fish swam in a darting, corkscrew fashion. Light microscopy revealed vacuolation in the brain tissue. Electron microscopy showed numerous non-enveloped, cytoplasmic viral particles (20–25 nm in diameter) in the brain cells, and many virions were enclosed in the membrane-bound organelles of the cells. Two structural proteins of the purified grouper virus, with molecular weights of 44 and 43 kDa, were revealed by SDS-PAGE. Moreover, the results of RT-PCR and nested PCR diagnosis using primers specific to the T2 and T4 target segments of striped jack nervous necrosis virus (SJNNV) RNA2 genes suggest that this virus is a fish nodavirus, and is designated as GNNV 9410 strain (grouper nervous necrosis virus strain 9410). This is the first case report of viral nervous necrosis among marine fish in Taiwan.     

Comparison of rhabdoviruses associated with epizootic ulcerative syndrome (EUS) with respect to their structural proteins, cytopathology and serology

Abstract. Seven rhabdoviruses isolated from fish suffering from epizootic ulcerative syndrome (EUS) were compared in terms of their morphology, cytopathogenicity, antigenic relatedness and structural polypeptide composition. All strains exhibited a bullet-shaped morphology, but the T9204 isolate was found to be longer and more variable in length than the other strains. Sixteen fish cell lines investigated showed some variation in susceptibility to each isolate, but the cytopathic changes induced by T9204 in SSN-2, RSN, GCP, ONP, FHM, AS and MUL lines were significantly different from the other isolates. Polyclonal antisera raised against the BPV, 20E and SL11 strains neutralized six isolates (BPV, 02, 19, 20E, A4 and SL11), but not T9204. Conversely, anti-T9204 serum only neutralized homologous virus. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis demonstrated that BPV, 02, 19, 20E, A4 and SL11 had virtually identical protein profiles, whereas T9204 differed both in the number of protein bands and in their migration pattern. Western blots of these gels identified the proteins specific to T9204 that reacted with anti-T9204 serum. Therefore, the isolates represent two distinct species of fish rhabdoviruses, but as yet, no causal relationship with EUS, or any other disease condition, has been established.     

Herpesvirus cyprini: a search for viral genome in infected fish by infected fish by in situ hybridization

Abstract. Herpesvirus cyprini (CHV) genome was traced in carp, Cyprinus carpio L., after acute infection by the method of in situ hybridization with biotinylated probes. The viral genome was detected in several tissues including cranial nerve ganglia. Subcutaneous tissue and spinal nerves. However, at this stage, viral antigens were not detected and the virus was not isolated. The viral genome was also detected in the same fish tissues when papillomas were present which contained viral antigens and even infective virus particles. After papilloma regression, the viral genome was still detected in these tissues. It is suggested that CHV becomes latently established in cranial nerve ganglia, subcutaneous tissue and spinal nerves, and is associated with the induction and recurrence of papillomas.     

Establishment of a novel fin cell line from Brown-marbled grouper, Epinephelus fuscoguttatus (Forsskål), and evaluation of its viral susceptibility

To lay a solid foundation of in vitro investigations of fish viral diseases, cytotechnology and cytotoxicology, a novel fin cell line from brown-marbled grouper, Epinephelus fuscoguttatus , was established and its viral susceptibility was evaluated. The fin tissues, digested with hyaluronidase and collagenase II, were used to initiate primary culture at 24 °C by using 20% foetal bovine serum-Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium/F12 medium, which was further supplemented with carboxymethyl–chitooligosaccharide, basic fibroblast growth factor and insulin-like growth factor-I. The fibroblastic fin cells grew at a steady rate during subsequent subculture and had a population doubling time of 50.6 h at passage 60. The modal diploid chromosome number was 48. A brown-marbled grouper fin cell line (bmGF-1) has been established and subcultured to passage 75 by now. Viral susceptibilities revealed that typical cytopathic effects of bmGF-1 cells emerged after being infected by turbot reddish-body iridovirus (TRBIV) or lymphocystis disease virus (LCDV). However, a large number of TRBIV and LCDV particles were also found in infected bmGF-1 cells. All these indicate that the bmGF-1 cell line has good susceptibility to TRBIV and LCDV, which may serve as a valuable tool for studies of cell–virus interactions and have potential applications in fish virus propagation and vaccine development.     

Presence of infectious salmon anaemia virus (ISAV) in tissues of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., collected during three separate outbreaks of the disease

Abstract. Infectious salmon anaemia (ISA) is a viral disease of farmed Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., in Norway. The enveloped virus particles (100nm) believed to be the causative agent of the disease have been observed budding from endothelial cells in heart blood vessels. However, it is not known if the virus propagates in endothelial cells in all tissues/organs, if other target cells exist or if material collected from different salmon farms with natural outbreaks of ISA contain the same virus particles. Salmon smolts from three hatcheries with no history of disease were taken into the laboratory and experimentally challenged with ISA collected from Atlantic salmon during natural outbreaks of the disease in three different fish farms outside Bergen. Norway. Tissues for TEM studies were Collected from: (1) organs that showed clinical signs of ISA (i.e. used in the diagnosis of the disease); (2) tissues believed to be important in transmission of the virus (integument, kidney, urinary bladder, gut and somatic muscle); and (3) hormone-producing tissues (pituitary gland, saccus vasculosus, thymus, thyroid, ultimobranehial gland, gonad, head kidney, heart and ventral aorta). The same virus as that believed to be the causative agent of ISA was found in all tissues examined from the challenged fish, i.e. a multiorgan infection with the same virus present in salmon from all three fish farms. The virus particles are about 100 nm in diameter, consisting of a slightly pleomorphic unit membrane envelope within which are a number of granules about 10–12nm in diameter. The granules seemed to be arranged in two concentric circles (spheres). The virus was seen budding from the surface of endothelial cells in blood vessels/sinus only. However, the virus was found intracellularly in both endothelial cells and in leucocytes.     

大黄鱼ATG5基因的分子特征及促进病毒增殖的作用研究

自噬是维持真核细胞稳态的重要过程，在细胞分化、发育、免疫等生理过程中发挥作用。目前，人们对于自噬相关基因（Autophagy related gene，ATG）在鱼类免疫应答中的功能仍知之甚少。本研究从大黄鱼（Larimichthys crocea）中克隆得到了自噬相关基因ATG5（LcATG5），其开放阅读框（ORF）全长828个核苷酸，编码275个氨基酸的蛋白质，预测的分子量为32.3 kD，等电点为5.7。氨基酸序列比对和系统进化分析结果显示，LcATG5与其他物种ATG5之间的序列一致性较高，含有1个高度保守的APG5结构域，并且与棘头梅童鱼（Collichthys lucidus）ATG5的亲缘关系最近。荧光定量PCR结果表明，LcATG5在所检测的11个组织或器官中均有表达，在血液中表达量最高，在脾脏中表达量最低；LcATG5在来源于大黄鱼头肾组织的原代粒细胞、淋巴细胞和巨噬细胞以及细胞系LYCK细胞中也均有表达，在原代粒细胞中表达量相对较高，而在巨噬细胞中相对较低；病毒类似物poly(I:C)刺激后，这4种免疫细胞中LcATG5的表达水平都显著上调，其在LYCK细胞中变化最为显著，刺激后12 h上调了3.93倍。过表达LcATG5的鲤上皮瘤（Epithelioma papulosum cyprinid, EPC）细胞受鲤春病毒血症病毒（Spring Viremia of Carp Virus, SVCV）感染48 h后，细胞病变效应（Cytopathic effects, CPE）明显高于对照组，细胞培养上清中SVCV的滴度为1013.82 TCID50/Ml，高于对照组109.27 TCID50/mL，同时细胞内SVCV标志基因SVCV-G、SVCV-M和SVCV-P的表达量分别上调了13.77倍、15.72倍和11.39倍，表明LcATG5过表达促进了EPC细胞中SVCV病毒增殖，这些结果为深入研究自噬和自噬相关基因在鱼类病毒感染过程中的作用及机制奠定了基础。     

Establishment and characterization of a heart-derived cell line from goldfish (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Carassius auratus</Emphasis>)

The goldfish Carassius auratus, a freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae, was one of the earliest fish to be domesticated for ornamental purposes. A cell line was established from goldfish heart (GH) tissue to create a biological monitoring tool for viral diseases. The GH cell line was optimally maintained at 25 °C in M199 medium supplemented with 10–20% fetal bovine serum. A chromosomal analysis indicated that the cell line remained diploid, with a mean chromosomal count of 100. In viral inoculation assays, significant cytopathic effects (CPEs) were caused by epizootic hematopoietic necrosis virus (EHNV), Andrias davidianus iridovirus (ADIV), and Bohle iridovirus (BIV) infections in the fish cells and the viral titers (average value) of EHNV, ADIV, and BIV in GH cells reached 10^5.0, 10^4.5, and 10^5.0 TCID₅₀/0.1 mL, respectively, within 7 days. However, no CPE was observed in the cells infected with viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV), infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV), spring viremia of carp virus (SVCV), infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV), channel catfish virus (CCV), or grass carp reovirus (GCRV). These results suggest that the GH cell line is a valuable tool for studying viral pathogenesis.     

Histology,immunocytochemistry and qRT‐PCR analysis of Atlantic salmon,Salmo salar L., post‐smolts following infection with infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV)

Infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN) is a very serious viral disease in terms of its impact on production of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., fry and post‐smolts. Post‐smolts of Atlantic salmon were injected with infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) and cohabited with naive fish to produce natural infection. Cohabitant fish were sampled every 2 days, up to day 36 post‐infection (p.i.). From 90 cohabitant fish, 11 (12.2%) were positive by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The first detection of IPNV by IHC occurred on day 16 p.i. which coincided with the onset of mortality in this group. Besides the pancreas, the liver was found to be a key target organ for IPNV. For the first time, the virus was observed in the islets of Langerhans and in the kidney corpuscles of Stannius which suggests that the virus could affect the fish’s metabolism. The liver of two fish, which showed the most widespread presence of IPNV by IHC, had a pathology including focal necrosis and widespread presence of apoptotic hepatocytes, many of which did not stain for virus by IHC. Up‐regulation of cytokine gene expression was found only in the IHC‐positive (IHC+ve) fish and reflected the level of infection as determined by IHC positivity of the liver. In most fish, interferon (IFN), Mx, γIFN and γIP were up‐regulated in liver and kidney, while only IFN and Mx were up‐regulated in gill. IL1β and TNFα were not induced in any tissue. The gill showed variable levels of constitutive expression of IL1β and γIFN. The two fish with liver pathology had the highest level of IFN expression, especially relative to the level of Mx expression, in the liver compared with the other IHC+ve fish which did not have a liver pathology. The results suggest that following widespread infection of hepatocytes, the cells may over‐produce IFN, resulting in apoptosis of neighbouring cells with subsequent death from liver failure.     

鲤Rhbdd3蛋白的抗病毒功能

Rhbdd3(Rhomboid domain-containing protein 3)蛋白在哺乳动物天然免疫中发挥了重要作用,但水生动物中rhbdd3基因的确定序列及Rhbdd3蛋白的功能均尚未见报道。为研究鲤(Cyprinus carpio)的Rhbdd3蛋白在鱼类细胞中的功能,探讨其过表达对鱼类病毒感染的影响,本研究通过PCR扩增得到了鲤rhbdd3基因的编码序列,并将其克隆至pCI-neo载体上,构建了真核表达质粒pCI-rhbdd3。pCI-rhbdd3转染鲤上皮瘤细胞EPC(epithelioma papulosum cyprinid)和鲑囊胚细胞CHSE-214(chinook salmon embryo)后利用制备的特异性抗体进行Western blot,检测Rhbdd3蛋白的表达情况,并利用CCK-8试剂检测其过表达对细胞增殖的影响。转染后分别进行鲤春病毒血症病毒(SVCV)和传染性胰腺坏死病毒(IPNV)的感染实验,并利用间接免疫荧光、Western blot和RT-qPCR方法检测Rhbdd3过表达对SVCV和IPNV增殖的影响。结果显示,pCI-rhbdd3转染后Rhbdd3蛋白在EPC和CHSE-214细胞中得到了过表达,且Rhbdd3蛋白的过表达能显著抑制SVCV和IPNV的复制,但不影响两种细胞的正常活性。本研究为鱼类广谱抗病毒药物的开发提供了新的实验依据,也为鱼类抗病毒新品种的培育奠定了重要基础。