The detection of transmissible gastroenteritis viral antigens by immunodiffusion.

Parathyroid (PT) glands from 20-day-old embryonic chicks cultured in a chemically defined medium secreted a stimulator of in vitro bone resorption. This stimulator was presumed to be parathyroid hormone (PTH) because: 1) the in vitro dose response curve was parallel to that obtained with bovine PTH; 2) the activity was eluted on Sephadex G-1--chromatography at a postition similar to that for PTH; and 3) the material produced hypercalcemia in vivo in chicks. The amount of PTH-activity secreted was inversely proportional to the calcium concentration of the medium over the range of 0.75-2.25 mM. The chick PT glands also secreted an inhibitor of PTH-stimulated bone resorption in vitro. This inhibitor was presumed to be calcitonin (CT) because: 1) the in vitro dose-response curve was parallel to that obtained with synthetic salmon CT; 2) the activity was eluted on Sephadex G-50 chromatography at a position similar to that for salmon CT; and 3) the material produced hypocalcemia in vivo in rats. In contrast to what would be expected for CT secretion, the CT-activity was secreted by the PT glands in response to a low, not high calcium concentration. The data suggest that the secretion of avian PTH is similar to that of the mammalian hormone, and that the ultimobranchialectomized chick with an intact parathyroid gland may not be deficient in CT.     

Leukocyte migration-inhibition procedure for transmissible gastroenteritis viral antigens.

Swine exposed to transmissible gastroenteritis viral antigens developed humoral and cell-mediated immunity. Migration of leukocytes from exposed swine was inhibited in the presence of the sensitizing antigens, whereas migration of leukocytes from nonexposed swine was not inhibited in the presense of these same antigens. In virus-neutralization-positive animals, it was not possible to correlate degree of inhibition with virus-neutralization titer. Inhibition was observed 7 days after exposure and was found to persist for at least 35 days.     

Neutralization of porcine transmissible gastroenteritis virus by complement-dependent monoclonal antibodies

Monoclonal antibodies (MAB) to each of the 3 major structural proteins of transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) of swine were compared, using their virus-neutralizing (VN) activity in the presence or absence of guinea pig, rabbit, or swine complement. The MAB against the peplomer protein had similar VN titers for TGEV in the presence or absence of complement from any source. The MAB against the matrix protein had VN activity for TGEV only in the presence of complement, whereas MAB specific for the nucleocapsid protein did not possess VN activity in the presence or absence of complement. Serum from sows containing antibodies against TGEV peplomer and matrix proteins had slightly higher VN titers in the presence of complement than in the absence of complement. High concentrations of complement from swine serum (128 U) had little effect on the infectivity of TGEV for swine testes cells, whereas 32 U of complement from rabbit serum and 64 U of complement from guinea pig serum were able to neutralize virulent and attenuated TGEV in the absence of known antibodies for TGEV. Complement (less than or equal to 8 U) from any source did not decrease the infectivity of TGEV by greater than 0.5 log10 units.     

Antigenic variation of porcine transmissible gastroenteritis virus detected by monoclonal antibodies

Mouse myeloma cells (SP2/O) were fused with spleen cells from BALB/c mice immunized with detergent-solubilized antigen of purified virus, and 21 monoclonal (MC) antibodies reactive in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with the TO-163 strain of porcine transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE) virus were obtained. Of these MC antibodies, 14, 6 and 1 were IgG1, IgG2a and IgM, respectively. All of the MC antibodies contained light chains of the kappa type. Of these MC antibodies, 8 were found to have neutralization (NT) activity against the TO-163 strain. Comparison of 7 strains of TGE virus by NT tests using our panel of MC antibodies confirmed their close antigenic relationships, but also revealed the occurrence of distinct antigenic differences. These results suggest that there may be at least 6 different epitopes involved in NT reaction on the virion of the TO-163 strain. This notion was confirmed by the competitive binding assay.     

An immunodiffusion test for detection of bovine viral diarrhea virus antibodies in bovine serum.

An immunodiffusion test (IDT) was developed for detecting bovine viral diarrhea virus antibodies in bovine serum. The antigen utilized in the IDT was prepared from bovine viral diarrhea virus-infected monolayer cultures. Results of the IDT were obtained within 48 hours and correlated with the virus-neutralization test.     

Evaluation of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of transmissible gastroenteritis virus antibodies

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using a detergent-solubilized antigen of purified virus was developed for detection of antibody against porcine transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE) virus in swine serum. The ELISA demonstrated antibody responses in pigs immunized intramuscularly with the attenuated TO-163 strain of TGE virus and in pigs orally infected with the virulent Shizuoka strain of the virus. The results of the ELISA were well correlated with those of the neutralization test. These results indicate the usefulness of the ELISA as a serological tool for TGE virus antibody.     

Passive protection of piglets by recombinant baculovirus induced transmissible gastroenteritis virus specific antibodies.

Sera of pigs immunized with parts of the transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) spike (S) protein expressed by recombinant baculoviruses were tested, together with a TGEV hyperimmune antiserum, for their abilities to protect three-day-old piglets against TGEV infection. The piglets were infected with virulent TGEV and the sera were given orally 3 h before infection, together with the virus, and every 6 h postinfection during the 30 h of the experiment. Virus shedding was monitored by TGEV isolation from rectal swab samples. The sera containing antibodies induced by the complete S protein or the amino terminal half of the S protein showed protective properties, indicated by delayed onset of clinical signs and virus shedding, similar to the TGEV hyperimmune serum. Those immune sera containing antibodies induced by shorter recombinant proteins were not protective.     

An ELISA for the detection of serum antibodies to both transmissible gastroenteritis virus and porcine respiratory coronavirus.

A competition ELISA utilizing a mAb directed towards a peplomer protein epitope common to TGEV, PRCV and related feline and canine coronaviruses is described.     

Use of monoclonal antibodies in blocking ELISA detection of transmissible gastroenteritis virus in faeces of piglets

Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) to the transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) nucleoprotein (N) and membrane protein (M) were prepared and used for the comparative assessment of three blocking ELISA variants to detect TGEV. The competitive blocking ELISA format showed the highest sensitivity, allowing detection of 10(3) TCID50 TGEV/ml in culture medium. Ninety-nine porcine field faecal samples obtained from 37 herds affected with diarrhoea were examined, and various TGEV levels were found in nine samples from six herds. However, only in three samples were significant TGEV concentrations demonstrated. The relationship between incidence of TGEV gastroenteritis and the spread of porcine respiratory coronavirus infection in pig farms is discussed.     

An indirect fluorescent antibody test for antibodies to transmissible gastroenteritis of swine.

The indirect fluorescent antibody test was modified to provide a rapid technique for the detection, screening and titration of antibodies to transmissible gastroenteritis of pigs. Large numbers of slides containing transmissible gastroenteritis antigen were prepared by planting mixtures of infected and uninfected swine testicular cells onto multiwelled teflon-coated slides. After overnight incubation, about one-half of the cells in each well were infected which provided contrast to aid in detecting specific fluorescence in the presence of varying degrees of background staining. Following fixation, antigen slides were stored at -20 degrees C until used. The indirect fluorescent antibody test was compared to the virus neutralization test in both the screening and titration of swine sera containing transmissible gastroenteritis antibodies. The test was found to be sensitive and reliable and to offer certain advantages over the virus neutralization test.     

Concurrent porcine rotaviral and transmissible gastroenteritis viral infections in a three-day-old conventional pig.

A 3-day-old suckling pig with diarrhea was necropsied, and immunofluorescent microscopic examination of the small intestinal mucosa, together with immune electron microscopic examination of the large intestinal contents, provided a presumptive diagnosis of a concurrent infection with transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE) virus and porcine rotavirus. Immunofluorescent microscopic, immune electron microscopic, and serologic data obtained from gnotobiotic pigs experimentally inoculated with the large intestinal contents of the suckling pig confirmed this diagnosis. Two gnotobiotic pigs, convalescent from previous TGE viral infections, became infected with porcine rotavirus only. However, another gnotobiotic pig, convalescent from a previous porcine rotaviral infection, became infected with TGE virus only, following inoculation with the large intestinal contents of the suckling pig.     

猪传染性胃肠炎病毒重组N蛋白抗原间接ELISA抗体检测方法的建立

本研究以纯化的原核表达猪传染性胃肠炎病毒N蛋白为诊断抗原，建立了猪传染性胃肠炎病毒抗体检测的间接ELISA诊断方法，将其命名为mTGE-ELISA。该抗原不与其他常见10种猪病的阳性血清发生交叉反应。批内和批间重复性试验的变异系数均小于15％；对仔猪免疫后不同时间的血清检测结果表明mTGE-ELISA与纯化病毒ELISA符合率达95．0％；mTGE-ELISA相对于VN试验的敏感性为96．3％、特异性为92．2％：现地试验中，mTGE-ELISA与Svanova TGEV／PRCV antibody diagnosis Kit的符合率达87．0％，通过中和试验复核结果表明，mTGE-ELISA的假阳性低于Svanova TGEV／PRCV antibody diagnosis Kit。本试验建立的mTGE-ELISA诊断方法具有良好的敏感性和特异性，为免疫猪群抗体监测和TGE流行病学调查提供了一种快速、简便的血清学诊断方法。     

Methanol precipitation of transmissible gastroenteritis virus.

Methanol precipitation of transmissible gastroenteritis virus was tested at Ph 4.0, 5.0, 6.0, and 7.0 and at methanol concentrations of 15%, 25%, and 30%. Supernatant and precipitate fractions were tested for complement-fixing and agar-diffusion soluble antigens and plaque-forming units, and were examined by electron microscopy. Virus could be obtained free of detectable agar-diffusion antigens and most of the complement-fixing antigens. Most of the virions were without peplomers after methanol treatment but they retained infectivity.     

Neutralization of a transmissible gastroenteritis virus of swine by colostral antibodies elicited by intestine and cell culture-propagated virus.

Cross-protection studies of gilts exposed to 4 transmissible gastroenteritis viruses--Ilinois (field strain), Miller-3, Miller low passage (M-LP), and Miller high passage (M-HP) tissue culture-adapted--indicated that only the gilt vaccinated with Illinois strain was protected, along with its newborn pigs, against challenge exposure with field virus. Similar results were obtained when the 4 viruses were incubated in vitro with colostrum from each of the 4 vaccinated gilts and subsequently used to orally inoculate newborn pigs. However, when the colostrums were used to neutralize M-HP virus in cell cultures, the neutralization titers were similar, indicating that a close antigenic relationship existed among the viruses. Neutralization studies in cell cultures, using immunoglobulin (Ig) fractions derived from colostrums of sows exposed to Illinois and M-HP virus, indicated that Illinois virus elicited more neutralizing activity in IgA than in the IgG fraction and that M-HP virus elicited more IgG than IgA antibody activity. In another study, Illinois virus was treated with these Ig-enriched fractions and then inoculated into the lumen of the jejunum of 3-day-old pigs. Anti-Illinois IgA was the only class of antibody which prevented replication of the Illinois virus in the intestine. Similar intraintestinal inoculations were used to test invasiveness of untreated Illinois and M-HP viruses. It was demonstrated that Illinois virus caused marked effect on the intestine: shortening of the villi, intestinal distension, edema, and presence of accumulated intestinal fluid within 60 hours after inoculation. The M-HP virus grew in the intestinal cells without affecting the length of the villi. The degree of invasiveness of Illinois or M-HP virus may account for the difference in the antibody class elicited in the colostrums.