DNA immunization against very virulent infectious bursal disease virus with VP2-4-3 gene and chicken IL-6 gene

The present study was to investigate the feasibility and efficiency of the DNA vaccine to protect chickens against very virulent infectious bursal disease virus (vvIBDV) infection. A plasmid DNA carrying VP2-4-3 genes of vvIBDV SH95 and a plasmid DNA carrying chicken interleukin-6 (ChIL-6) genes were constructed and designated as pALTER-MAX-VP2-4-3 and pALTER-MAX-ChIL-6 respectively. Several DNA vaccination experiments were performed: 1-week-old chickens were intramuscularly injected with only plasmid pcDNA3-VP2, pALTER-MAX-VP2-4-3 or mixture with pALTER-MAX-ChIL-6. The chickens at 4 weeks old were orally inoculated with vvIBDV SH95. The results showed that immunization with the mixture of pALTER-MAX-VP2-4-3 and pALTER-MAX-ChIL-6 three times conferred protection for 90% of chickens. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) antibody titres in chickens immunized together with pALTER-MAX-ChIL-6 were higher than those immunized simply with plasmid pcDNA3-VP2 or pALTER-MAX-VP2-4-3. IBDV was not detected in the bursa of the protected chickens at 8 days after challenge by RT-PCR. The results indicate that protection against vvIBDV can be achieved by using the VP2-4-3 gene of vvIBDV as a DNA vaccine. Furthermore, the simultaneous injection of ChIL-6 plasmid significantly increased the protection after challenge with the very virulent strain.     

堆型艾美耳球虫重组DNA质粒pcDNA3-3-1E的免疫原性

用E.acervulina重组质粒pcDNA3-3-1E免疫雏鸡,观察其对雏鸡细胞免疫和体液免疫功能的影响。将7日龄雏鸡随机分为4组,即空白对照组、pcDNA3.1空质粒组、重组质粒免疫组和卵囊免疫组,每组30只。pcDNA3-3-1E经肌肉注射途径免疫雏鸡,剂量为50μL/只（含质粒1g/L）。7日龄免疫1次,14日龄加强免疫1次。检测雏鸡血液T淋巴细胞增殖率,测定血清抗体水平。结果显示,与空质粒组和健康对照组相比,重组质粒组淋巴细胞的增殖能力明显增强（P〈0.05）,外周血中IgG的含量均显著升高（P〈0.05）,表明pcDNA3-3-1E裸质粒DNA能有效的提高雏鸡的细胞免疫和体液免疫水平。     

鸡柔嫩艾美耳球虫3-1E真核重组表达质粒的构建及其免疫保护性分析

为构建鸡柔嫩艾美耳球虫(E.tenella)重组真核表达质粒并检测其免疫保护性,本实验将E.tenella表面抗原基因3-1E(E)与鸡IFN-γ、IL-2基因分别串联在真核表达载体pcDNA3.1(+)中,构建真核重组表达质粒pcDNA-E-IFNγ、pcDNA-E-IL2,同时构建对照质粒pcDNA-E、pcDNA-IFNγ、pcDNA-IL2.经酶切鉴定得到预期大小目的片段,测序结果与预期序列一致.将构建的重组质粒免疫鸡只,经western blot检测表明该重组质粒在鸡体内可以正常表达;对感染鸡只的免疫保护效果显示,pcDNA-E-IFNγ、pcDNA-E-IL2组抗球虫指数(ACI)分别为181.04、187.30,具有高效的抗球虫效果,为将其进一步研制成为具有实用价值的抗球虫疫苗奠定了基础.     

Vaccination of chickens with a chimeric DNA vaccine encoding Eimeria tenella TA4 and chicken IL-2 induces protective immunity against coccidiosis

A fusion DNA vaccine co-expressed Eimeria tenella TA4 and chicken IL-2 (chIL-2) was constructed and its efficacy against E. tenella challenge was observed. TA4 gene of E. tenella and chIL-2 gene were cloned into expression vector pcDNA3.1 and pcDNA4.0c in different forms, producing vaccines pcDNA3.1-TA4-IL-2, pcDNA3.1-TA4 and pcDNA4.0c-IL-2. The expression of aim genes in vivo was detected by RT-PCR and western blot. Animal experiment was carried out to evaluate the immune efficacy of the vaccines. Results indicated these DNA vaccines were successfully constructed and the antigen genes could be expressed effectively in vivo. The animal experimental results showed that DNA vaccines could obviously alleviate cecal lesions, body weight loss and increase oocyst decrease ratio. The ACI of pcDNA3.0-TA4-IL-2 group was 192, higher than that of pcDNA3.1-TA4 group. The results suggested that TA4 was an effective candidate antigen for vaccine and co-expression of cytokine with antigen was an alternative method to enhance DNA vaccine immunity.     

鸡柔嫩艾美耳球虫3-1E和CDPK双抗原DNA疫苗的免疫保护效果观察

将构建的含鸡柔嫩艾美耳球虫(Eimeria tenella)CDPK和3-1E双抗原的真核重组质粒proEC,在14日龄和21日龄分别免疫AA肉鸡,28日龄感染5×104个E.tenella孢子化卵囊,观察其免疫保护效果.结果显示,攻虫后1周,与proC组相比,proEC组能显著增强淋巴细胞转化和血清抗体水平(P＜0.05);与proE组和proC组相比,proEC组卵囊产量最低但差异不显著(P＞0.05),其相对增重低于proE组和proC组.结果表明,proEC双抗原DNA疫苗对E.tenella攻虫表现出一定双抗原协同保护效应.     

香菇多糖对鸡球虫3-1E重组蛋白的免疫增强作用

将150只海蓝雏鸡分为5组,每组30只,3日龄首免,2周后加强免疫1次,二免后2周用鸡柔嫩艾美尔球虫攻击.通过测定免疫后鸡只的淋巴细胞转化水平,抗体水平、IL-1诱生活性,比较分析不同剂量的香菇多糖对3-1E重组蛋白免疫原性的增强作用;通过测定攻虫后鸡只存活率、相对增重率、卵囊值和抗球虫指数的变化,分析香菇多糖对3-1E重组融合蛋白免疫保护效果的影响.结果表明,香菇多糖能够显著增强淋巴细胞转化水平(P<0.05)和血清抗体水平(P<0.05),但不能明显提高IL-1的诱生活性(P>0.05);而且能够显著增强3-1E重组蛋白的免疫保护效果.表明香菇多糖对3-1E重组蛋白具有较好的免疫增强作用.     

堆形艾美球虫广东株3-1E基因在毕赤酵母中的表达

以重组质粒pGEM-3-1E为模板，扩增了序列两端分别含有EcoRⅠ和XbaⅠ酶切位点的堆形艾美球虫（Eimeria acervulina）广东株3-1E基因（长度为529bp），将3-1E基因克隆至巴斯德毕赤酵母分泌型表达载体pPICZαC中，构建了酵母表达质粒pPICZαC-3-1E。转化毕赤酵母X-33得到含有3-1E基因的重组酵母，甲醇诱导产生的目的蛋白经SDS-PAGE分析和免疫印迹检测，表明毕赤酵母成功表达了3-1E基因。     

鸡柔嫩艾美耳球虫HN株3-1E基因的原核表达与鉴定

根据已报道的柔嫩艾美耳球虫3-1E基因序列设计引物,以孢子化卵囊总RNA为模板,用RT-PCR方法扩增得到1条特异片段,将扩增产物克隆至p MD-18T载体,转化感受态菌JM109,经酶切鉴定获得阳性重组质粒并对其进行测序。测序结果与已发表的国内外相关虫株的3-1E基因序列比较,核苷酸的同源性均在99.2%~99.8%,氨基酸的同源性均在98.2%~100%。然后将重组质粒和表达载体p GEX-4T-1分别用Xho I和EcoR I酶切后构建重组表达载体p GEX-3-1E,并将其转化入大肠杆菌BL21中,提取质粒经酶切和PCR鉴定正确后,用IPTG诱导表达。表达产物经SDS-PAGE和Western blot检测显示,3-1E基因在大肠杆菌中成功表达,融合蛋白的分子量为44.7 ku,诱导表达5 h的蛋白表达量可达到30%以上。     

柔嫩艾美耳球虫杨凌株3-1E基因表达产物的初步免疫效果研究

用柔嫩艾美耳球虫(Eimeria tenella子孢子表面抗原基因原核细胞表达产物免疫雏鸡,观察其对球虫攻击的免疫保护作用.将可溶性重组蛋白和包涵体重组蛋白经肌肉注射分别于7日龄、14日龄两次免疫罗曼小公雏,同时设攻虫对照组和空白对照组,于第2次免疫后1周(28日龄)用1 ×104个E.tenella卵囊进行攻毒,观察其诱导产生的保护力.结果表明,3-1E可溶性蛋白组免疫无论从卵囊计数、盲肠病变计分和相对增重均优于包涵体免疫组.说明3-1E基因在大肠杆菌中的表达产物对鸡柔嫩艾美耳球虫的攻击有一定的免疫保护作用.     

堆型艾美耳球虫3-1E重组质粒微球的制备及体外释放试验

用聚乳酸羟基乙酸共聚物（PLGA）将鸡堆型艾美耳球虫重组表达质粒pcDNA3.1-3-1E包封,采用水包油包水（W/O/W）双重乳化方法制备pcDNA3-3-1E/PLGA微球。通过正交试验设计优化PLGA微球制备工艺,考察PLGA浓度、聚乙烯醇（PVA）浓度、超声功率、复乳搅拌时间对评价指标（即微球粒径大小、包封率、载药量）的影响,确定制备微球的最佳工艺条件。测定微球的形态、粒径、完整性、质粒DNA包封率、载药量和释放程度;进行体外模拟鸡胃液和肠液试验,观察微球体外释药效果。结果显示,当PLGA浓度为8%、PVA浓度为1.5%、超声功率为60W、复乳搅拌6h为微球制备的最佳工艺参数,在光镜下呈散在圆形,粒径小于12μm。微球的包封率、载药量分别为84.25%和4.46%,裸质粒与微球中质粒超螺旋比例差距不显著,这表明在包被过程中的超螺旋质粒未发生明显的降解。在模拟鸡的胃肠液累积释放试验中,它的累积释放能力依次为pH 3.0〉pH 7.4,载药微球在模拟鸡的胃肠液中24h释放26.8%,模拟肠液中24h释放11.2%,30d时体外累积释放率为81.7%,表明微球具有一定的缓释效果。     

堆型艾美耳球虫保定株裂殖子3-1E基因的克隆与序列分析

依据GenBank中收录的堆型艾美耳球虫(Eimeria acervulina,E.acervulina)关国株(US)3-1E基因序列,设计特异性引物,以堆型艾美耳球虫保定株裂殖子基因组RNA为模板,利用反转录-聚合酶链式反应(RT-PCR)扩增获得3-1E基因序列部分片段,将此片段克隆至pGM-T Easy载体中,经PCR、限制性内切酶鉴定和克隆片段的序列测定、比较,结果表明该克隆片段扩增准确、可靠.序列比较发现,此片段与E.acervulina美国株(US)株、E.acervulina QH株cDNA的核苷酸同源性分别为99.4%和99.6%.     

Immune responses of swine following DNA immunization with plasmids encoding porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus ORFs 5 and 7, and porcine IL-2 and IFNgamma

In the present study, five eukaryotic double-gene expression plasmids containing porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) ORF5 and ORF7 genes combined with cDNAs encoding porcine IFNgamma and IL-2 were constructed for evaluation as PRRSV vaccine candidates. After immunization and viral challenge, two of three pigs immunized with pIRESorf5/IFNgamma, one of three pigs immunized with pIRESorf5/IL-2 and one of three pigs immunized with pIRESorf7/IL-2 were protected from lung lesions that were present in other vaccinated and control animals. Virus replication was reduced but not completely prevented in organs of the DNA-vaccinated animals as compared to controls. Therefore, the porcine cytokines IFNgamma and IL-2, delivered in combination with ORF5 or ORF7, may improve the immune efficacy of DNA vaccines against PRRSV.     

Co-administration of IL-2 enhances antigen-specific immune responses following vaccination with DNA encoding the glycoprotein E2 of bovine viral diarrhoea virus

Induction of effective immunity requires the delivery of a protective antigen with appropriate co-stimulatory signals. For bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) this antigen is the major viral glycoprotein E2. Neutralising antibodies are directed towards the E2 protein and passive transfer of antibodies in serum or colostrum can completely protect against viral infection. DNA vaccination of mice with a construct encoding the E2 glycoprotein induced neutralising antibody levels that were potentially sufficient to prevent virus replication in a challenge system. The co-delivery of interleukin-2 (IL-2) further enhanced the levels of antibody raised. The strong IgG2a component of the antigen-specific antibody suggests a Th1 bias to the immune response induced following vaccination.     

Cell-mediated immune responses to a killed Salmonella enteritidis vaccine: lymphocyte proliferation, T-cell changes and interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1, IL-2, and IFN-gamma production

Two experimental approaches were used to investigate the immunological responses of chickens to a commercial killed Salmonella enteritidis (SE) vaccine. In the first, the effects of host age on antigen-specific proliferative responses and cytokine production were examined. Compared with non-vaccinated controls, 4-wk-old vaccinated chickens showed higher proliferation to SE LPS and flagella. The lymphoproliferation responses to these antigens of 8-mo-old vaccinated chickens were not different compared to the non-vaccinated controls. Increased production of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) by antigen-stimulated splenocytes following vaccination were, in general, more often observed in 4-wk-old compared with 8-mo-old chickens, whereas serum levels of these cytokines were consistently higher in the vaccinated birds compared with controls regardless of age. The second set of experiments were designed to determine the effects of SE vaccination on mitogen- or antigen-induced splenocyte proliferation and serum nitric oxide (NO) and cytokine levels. Splenocytes from vaccinated chickens stimulated with SE flagella showed significantly increased numbers of TCRgammadelta+ cells at 7 days post-vaccination compared with non-vaccinated birds. In contrast, no differences were noted with CD4+, CD8+, or TCRalphabeta+ cells at any time points examined. Higher levels of NO production were observed following stimulation with SE flagella at 4, 7, 11, and 14 days after SE vaccination while serum levels of IFN-gamma, IL-1, IL-6, and IL-8 were elevated only at day 7 post-vaccination. In conclusion, younger chickens mounted a more robust antigen-specific immune response to the SE vaccine compared with older birds and vaccination induced not only T-cell-mediated responses but also host innate and pro-inflammatory responses.     

Blood concentrations of the cytokines IL-1beta,IL-6, IL-10, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma during experimentally induced swine dysentery

Background

Knowledge of the cytokine response at infection with Brachyspira hyodysenteriae can help understanding disease mechanisme involved during swine dysentery. Since this knowledge is still limited the aim of the present study was to induce dysentery experimentally in pigs and to monitor the development of important immunoregulatory cytokines in blood collected at various stages of the disease.

Methods

Ten conventional pigs (~23 kg) were orally inoculated with Brachyspira hyodysenteriae B204^T. Eight animals developed muco-haemorrhagic diarrhoea with impaired general body condition. Blood was sampled before inoculation and repeatedly during acute dysentery and recovery periods and cytokine levels of IL-1β, IL-6, Il-10, TNF-α and IFN-γ were measured by ELISA.

Results

IL-1β was increased at the beginning of the dysentery period and coincided with the appearance of Serum amyloid A and clinical signs of disease. TNF-α increased in all animals after inoculation, with a peak during dysentery, and IL-6 was found in 3 animals during dysentery and in the 2 animals that did not develop clinical signs of disease. IL-10 was found in all sick animals during the recovery period. IFN-γ was not detected on any occasion.

Conclusion

B. hyodysenteriae inoculation induced production of systemic levels of IL-1β during the dysentery period and increased levels of IL-10 coincided with recovery from dysentery.     

中国白兔白介素-15基因的克隆、序列分析及其在E.coli中的表达

以RT-PCR技术对用ConA刺激的中国白兔外周血淋巴细胞（PMBCr）进行扩增,将纯化后的PCR产物克隆入pMD18-T中进行核苷酸序列测定,并与不同物种的IL-15基因进行序列比较。结果IL-15基因全长489 bp,编码162个氨基酸,其中前29个氨基酸残基构成信号肽序列。与不同物种IL-15基因相比,核苷酸和推导的氨基酸序列有一定的差异。在推导的中国白兔IL-15氨基酸序列中,在108～110、119～121、127～129和143～146位存在4个潜在的N-联糖基化位点,同时存在6个Cys残基。将pTIL-15双酶切,回收目的基因片段克隆到大肠杆菌表达载体pET28a中构建了重组质粒pETIL-15,转化大肠杆菌BL21（DE3）,并用IPTG进行了诱导。结果重组菌菌体裂解物经SDS-PAGE电泳可检测到相对分子质量为20 500的重组目的蛋白。经凝胶薄层扫描,目的蛋白表达量可占菌体蛋白的13.6%。     

E.tenella河北株重组IL-2-EtMIC-2 DNA疫苗的构建及保护力分析

为了构建E.tenella河北株重组IL-2-EtMIC-2DNA疫苗,并确定其抗球虫效力。采用RT-PCR方法分别克隆出鸡IL-2和E.tenella河北株EtMIC-2基因,并连接到pMD18-T载体上进行测序;将目的基因克隆到pcDNA3.0载体,构建重组质粒pcDNA3.0-IL-2-EtMIC-2,并转染293T细胞,用Western blot方法验证表达。将构建的重组IL-2-EtMIC-2DNA疫苗以50,100,150μg/只的剂量分别在14,21日龄胸肌注射免疫试验鸡,除阴性对照组外,28日龄时经口灌服孢子化E.tenella卵囊4×10~4个,研究其对E.tenella感染后的免疫保护效果。结果表明:成功构建了重组质粒pcDNA3.0-IL-2-EtMIC-2,且能在293T细胞中表达出融合蛋白;3个免疫组的ACI比阳性对照组分别提高了97.63%,127.02%和129.81%,其中免疫剂量为100,150μg时,ACI均达160以上,具有良好的免疫保护效果。     

柔嫩艾美耳球虫杨凌株3-1E基因的克隆、表达与蛋白结构预测

应用PCR技术,从柔嫩艾美耳球虫(Eimeria tenella)孢子化卵囊子孢子cDNA表达文库中扩增得到鸡E.tenella杨凌株(YL)子孢子表面抗原3-1E基因。序列分析表明,E.tenella YL 3-1E基因的开放阅读框(ORF)为513个碱基,编码170个氨基酸,与报道的E.tenella甘肃株(GS)3-1E基因相似性为99.8%,两者推导的氨基酸序列相似性为99.4%;而与文献报道的堆型艾美耳球虫(E.acervulina)美国株(US)3-1E基因序列的相似性为98.8%,推导的氨基酸序列相似性为98.8%。利用生物信息学和分子生物学软件对3-1E基因编码的蛋白进行结构预测,结果表明,该蛋白为结构松散的球状蛋白。将3-1E基因亚克隆到表达载体pGEX-4T-1,构建pGEX-3-1E重组质粒并在大肠杆菌BL21中进行表达,表达产物经SDS-PAGE分析,表明成功地表达出了分子量为44.7 ku的融合蛋白。该研究为球虫基因工程疫苗的研制奠定了基础。     

Ovine coccidiosis: studies on the pathogenicity of Eimeria ovinoidalis and E. crandallis in conventionally-reared lambs, including possible effects of passive immunity

No pathogenic effect was detected in lambs when 10(4) oocyts of each species were inoculated before 72 h of age. At 4 weeks of age the combined inoculum caused diarrhoea and weight loss, the severity being roughly proportional to the size of the inoculum. Even 1000 oocysts of each species caused diarrhoea; the pathogenic effect was attributable mainly to E. ovinoidalis. Hyperimmunization of ewes during pregnancy (by repeated inoculation of massive doses of oocysts) reduced the effects of oocyst inoculation in their progeny. Levamisole administration during pregnancy increased the birthweight of lambs.