Antigen distribution in organs of mink with Aleutian disease parvovirus infection

On tissues from naturally infected non-Aleutian mink an immunohistological study was performed using monoclonal antibodies and the immunoperoxidase method. Structural proteins of ADV were demonstrated in cryosections and in ethanol-fixed and paraffin-embedded material which provide antigen detection in a similar amount together with good histological structure. In lymphoid organs viral antigen was restricted to B-cell areas, particularly lymphoid follicles. The pattern of antigen distribution was typical for follicular dendritic cells which are capable to retain immune complexes. Beside macrophages in the interior of lymphoid follicles most likely proliferating B-lymphoblasts reveal nuclear and cytoplasmatic presence of structural proteins indicating viral replication. Cells of the mononuclear phagocyte system such as cells of lymphatic sinuses and hepatic Kupffer cells harbor viral protein in the cytoplasm, probably resulting from phagocytosis of immune complexes. Renal glomeruli were consistently negative for virus antigen whereas in interstitial infiltrates cells resembling macrophages stained positive for ADV structural proteins.     

犬TfR胞外区密码子的优化、真核表达及与犬细小病毒VP2蛋白结合

为制备大量具有天然活性的犬胞外区可溶性转铁蛋白受体(sTfR),本试验通过密码子优化提高sTfR在真核细胞中的表达水平.利用RT-PCR方法从犬肝脏中扩增sTfR编码基因,依据该基因编码的氨基酸序列,参照人偏爱的密码子,对该基因进行密码子优化并由公司合成.利用peDNA3.1-CD5质粒分别构建野生型和密码子优化的sTfR基因真核表达载体,经磷酸钙介导使其在HEK293T细胞中进行表达,利用Western-blotting鉴定表达产物,通过ELISA检测重组犬sTfR蛋白与犬细小病毒VP2蛋白的结合活性.结果显示本试验扩增的犬sTfR基因与GenBank该基因序列的同源性为100%;通过在HEK 293T细胞中进行瞬时表达,结果显示密码子优化可以明显提高sTfR基因在HEK 293T细胞中的表达水平,提高了75%.同时表达的sTfR蛋白能够与犬细小病毒VP2蛋白进行特异结合,表明表达的重组sTfR蛋白具有天然活性.     

VP22融合猪细小病毒VP2蛋白在杆状病毒系统中的表达及免疫原性分析

旨在利用杆状病毒-昆虫细胞表达系统表达融合VP22短肽的重组猪细小病毒(PPV)衣壳蛋白VP2,分析其免疫原性。以PPV N株为模板,通过重叠延伸PCR技术分别将VP22融合到VP2基因的N端或C端,构建重组杆状病毒rBV-VP2、rBV-VP22-VP2和rBV-VP2-VP22,通过感染昆虫细胞进行重组蛋白的表达,并在小鼠上初步验证其免疫原性。间接免疫荧光和Western blot分析结果表明表达产物均能与鼠抗PPV抗体发生特异性反应;透射电镜观察到rBV-VP2、rBV-VP22-VP2的表达产物可装配形成直径约22～24 nm的病毒样粒子,VP2-VP22没有观察到病毒样粒子。PPV ELISA抗体检测结果显示,3种表达产物均能有效诱导小鼠产生PPV特异性抗体,其中VP2、VP22-VP2组产生抗体水平与PPV灭活苗相当;细胞因子检测结果显示,3种表达产物均能有效刺激细胞因子IL-2和IFN-γ的分泌,其中VP22-VP2组IL-2和IFN-γ的含量要显著高于VP2和PPV灭活苗组及重组蛋白VP2-VP22组,表明VP2 N端融合VP22蛋白的免疫效果要优于其C端,VP22-VP2虽不能提高VP22蛋白的体液免疫效果,但具有增强小鼠机体细胞免疫反应的能力。     

Comparison of the lesions of Aleutian disease in mink and hypergammaglobulinemia in ferrets.

Gross and microscopic lesions of Aleutian disease (AD) in mink and hypergammaglobulinemia in ferrets were compared. Both conditions were characterized by widespread proliferation of plasma cells, but proliferation was more prominent in mink infected with AD. Arteritis did not occur in hypergammaglobulinemic ferrets. Minimal or no glomerular alterations occurred in infected ferrets, but were severe in mink infected with AD. Bile duct proliferation was more prominent in diseased mink. Tissue alterations suggested that AD in Aleutian genotype mink is more rapidly progressive than is AD in ferrets, causing overt clinical disease and death. In contrast, hypergammaglobulinemia in ferrets appeared to progress more slowly, with little clinical evidence of disease. This is probably the result of a paucity of glomerular lesions in ferrets. Possible mechanisms to explain the differences in the development of lesions are discussed.     

Prevalence of the Aleutian mink disease virus infection in Nova Scotia, Canada

Despite many years of testing mink for serum antibodies against the Aleutian mink disease virus (AMDV) by counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIEP) and elimination of reactors, this virus has remained the number one disease threat for the mink industry in Nova Scotia (NS). The objective of this study was to analyze CIEP test results to determine the success of the AMDV-control strategy in NS. A total of 2,964,920 CIEP test results from 82 ranches, spanning an eight-year period between 1998 and 2005, were analyzed. This survey included approximately 60% of the active ranchers in the province. The number of ranchers that tested their animals was 42 in 1998, gradually increased to 58 in 2003 and then showed some decline. The overall proportion of CIEP-positive mink was 3.34%, and varied between 5.22% in 1999 and 1.35% in 2005. The proportion of infected ranches ranged between 23.8% in 1998 and 70.7% in 2003. The overall trend was for a smaller proportion of infected animals but a larger proportion of infected ranches during this time period. Of the 82 ranches, 24 (29.3%) had negative CIEP in all tests, 15 (18.3%) had CIEP positive animals in every year tested, and 43 (52.4%) had positive and negative results in different years, indicating that AMDV infection was widespread in NS. There were 23 infected ranches with 8years of uninterrupted testing. These ranchers performed 75.8% of the total samples tested (2,246,711), implying that they have diligently been trying to eradicate the virus. Infection persisted on three of these ranches for the entire 8year period, and only two of the ranches remained CIEP negative for longer than four years. The average percentage of CIEP-positive mink on these ranches was 2.2, which was lower than 6.35% for the 33 infected ranches with occasional testing, and 73.6% and 82.4% for two ranches that had never used the CIEP test, showing that persistent test-and-removal strategy has been effective in reducing the prevalence of infected animals but has failed to eradicate the virus from most of the infected ranches.     

Histopathologic and immunohistochemical lesions in liver of mink infected with Aleutian disease virus

Parvovirus of Aleutian disease causes mainly damage to kidneys, but immune complexes deposition and damage may occur also in other organs. In mink farms of Latvia the liver dystrophy or hepatic lipidosis of mink is widely distributed. The goal of this study was to examine probability of liver damage and regeneration of mink infected with Aleutian disease virus. Liver injury was assessed histologically. The mink liver demonstrated inflammation of liver parenchyma and foci of fatty liver. In immunohistochemistry, during liver regeneration the matrix metalloproteinases MMP-9, vascular endothelial growth factor and beta-defensin 2 expressions were lower, but MMP-2 and nerve growth factor receptor p75 expression was increased.     

Diversity and stability of Aleutian mink disease virus during bottleneck transitions resulting from eradication in domestic mink in Denmark

Aleutian mink disease (plasmacytosis) virus (AMDV) in domestic mink (Neovison vison) has been subject to eradication in Denmark since 1976. In 2001, approximately 5% of Danish mink farms were still infected and all were located in the northern part of the peninsula of Jutland. In the present study a total of 274 Danish isolates of AMDV collected during the two seasons of 2004 and 2005 were characterized by partial sequencing of the coding region of the non-structural (NS) proteins. Older AMDV isolates from Denmark, available, were also included. The Danish isolates represent a very homogenous cluster compared with Swedish, Finnish and Dutch isolates and seem to represent a minor fraction of the genetic diversity previously found in Denmark. Stability of nucleotide deviations reveals that the purifying selection of bottlenecks imposed on the AMDV population in Denmark by the stamping out policy for more than 6 years exceeds the rate of mutation driven diversity. Among the isolates from farms in northern Jutland two distinct types could be identified and within each of them a number of sub-types which were all useful in tracking spread of infections. Infection at a farm the preceding season was a predisposing risk parameter for disease outbreak at a farm, and strain identity substantiates the suggestion that inadequate disinfection is involved in the recurrence of outbreaks. In cases of new introductions to farms it is indicated that contact including transport between farms played a most significant role.     

Feline calicivirus VP2 is involved in the self-assembly of the capsid protein into virus-like particles

Feline calicivirus (FCV) is considered the most common upper respiratory tract disease (URTD) associated pathogen in cats. We previously expressed FCV VP1 capsid protein in insect cells by baculovirus system and we observed that this protein self-assemble into virus-like particles (VLPs) different in size and lacking the typical cup-like depressions of caliciviruses. In the present study, VP1 and the small basic structural protein VP2 of FCV were individually expressed by baculovirus system. Coinfection of insect cells with both recombinant viruses resulted in VP1 and VP2 self-assembly to form depressions similar to native capsids in size and appearance, demonstrating that VP2 interacts with the VP1 protein in the formation of VLPs.     

Studies on the replication of a bovine parvovirus

Optimal replication of a bovine parvovirus type 1 was found to occur when parasynchronous bovine embryonic lung cells were infected during the S phase of the cell cycle, just prior to maximum DNA synthesis. Viral antigen was first detected in the cytoplasm by immunofluorescence at 8 h post-infection, reaching a maximum at this location by 16 h and then disappearing. In the nucleus, antigen was first detected at 12 h, concurrent with early inclusion body formation and first detection of intracellular virus production. Intranuclear antigen then increased rapidly to a maximum at 20 h, as the inclusions progressively matured, large amounts of virus were produced within the cell, with some release to the environment. From 24 h, the nuclear inclusions became increasingly shrunken and basophilic as virus migrated to the cytoplasm and was progressively released to the exterior concurrent with cell degeneration and fragmentation. The majority of virus remained cell associated, even at 28 h post-inoculation. Two morphological types of early and late stage intranuclear inclusions were produced by the virus, these appearing to be a distinct feature of bovine strains. In other aspects, the replication of bovine parvovirus appeared similar to that of other members of the genus.     

Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies to budgerigar fledgling disease virus major capsid protein VP.

Eleven hybridoma cell lines producing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against intact budgerigar fledgling disease (BFD) virions were produced and characterized. These antibodies were selected for their ability to react with BFD virions in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Each of these antibodies was reactive in the immunofluorescent detection of BFD virus-infected cells. These antibodies immunoprecipitated intact virions and specifically recognized the major capsid protein, VP1, of the dissociated virion. The MAbs were found to preferentially recognize native BFD virus capsid protein when compared with denatured virus protein. These MAbs were capable of detecting BFD virus protein in chicken embryonated cell-culture lysates by dot-blot analysis.     

猪圆环病毒2型Cap蛋白与猪O型口蹄疫病毒VP1蛋白在杆状病毒中共表达及鉴定

为在真核细胞中共表达猪圆环病毒2型(PCV2)Cap蛋白与猪O型口蹄疫病毒(FMDV)VP1蛋白,本研究将其各自编码基因克隆于杆状病毒双表达载体(pFastBacTMDual)中构建重组转移质粒(pFBD-Cap-VP1),转化至DH10BacTM感受态细胞中制备重组杆粒(rBacmid-Cap-VP1),并转染Sf21昆虫细胞,拯救出能够共表达PCV2-Cap和FMDV-VP1蛋白的重组杆状病毒(rBac-Cap-VP1)。SDS-PAGE和western blot检测结果表明,共表达的重组PCV2-Cap和FMDV-VP1蛋白产物的分子量分别为28 ku和30 ku,各占总蛋白含量的11.6%和3.4%,能够分别与PCV2和FMDV抗体发生特异性反应,表明共表达蛋白具有良好的反应原性。本研究为PCV2和FMDV基因工程二联亚单位疫苗的研制奠定了基础。     

Detection of antibody in Aleutian disease of mink: comparison of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and counterimmunoelectrophoresis

Experiments were undertaken to investigate the potential of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) as a screening test for the diagnosis of the 2 known naturally occurring forms of Aleutian disease of mink. Anti-Aleutian disease virus (ADV) antibody activity was not detectable in the sera of mink with nonprogressive Aleutian disease despite the demonstration of antibody by counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIEP) in the same sera. Anti-ADV antibody was detectable in 93% of sera from mink at various stages of experimentally induced progressive Aleutian disease. False-negative reactions occurred in sera which demonstrated high anti-ADV antibody titers by CIEP. As a consequence of the high prevalence of false-negative reactions, the ELISA was not considered to be an effective screening test. However, using CIEP as an indicator of ADV infection, the ELISA may be useful in differentiating mink with nonprogressive Aleutian disease from mink with progressive Aleutian disease.     

Effect of viral structure and replication characteristics on the pathogenesis of infectious bursal disease]

Infectious bursal disease (IBD) is a highly contagious disease of young chickens, which occurs world-wide, and is responsible for severe losses in poultry industries. In birds surviving an acute infection, lymphoid cells in the bursa of Fabricius are destroyed, resulting in B-cell-dependent immunodeficiency. This causes increased susceptibility to diseases by otherwise harmless agents. The decisive role in the pathogenesis of IBD is played by the bursa, representing the target organ of the aetiological agent, infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV). By adaptation of IBDV to chicken embryo cells, we obtained several variants of a pathogenic wild type strain. These variants had altered abilities for replication in actively dividing B lymphocytes and, consequently, had altered pathogenic properties. An IBDV isolate from turkeys, non-pathogenic for chickens, was used to create reassortant virus strains. The virological and the biological characterization of these IBDV variants is reported.