Detection of subgroup J avian leukosis virus infection in Australian meat-type chickens

OBJECTIVE: To determine the extent of avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) infection in Australian broiler breeder flocks, using virus isolation and molecular biological detection. Any resultant ALV-J viral isolates to be characterised by neutralisation cross testing in order to determine antigenic relationships to overseas isolates of ALV-J. STUDY DESIGN: Samples of blood, feather pulp, albumen and tumours were obtained from broiler breeder flocks which represented four genetic strains of meat chickens being grown in Victoria, South Australia, NSW and Queensland. Dead and ailing birds were necropsied on farm and samples were collected for microscopic and virological examinations. Virus isolation was carried out in C/O and DF-1 CEF cultures and ALV group specific antigen was detected in culture lysates using AC-ELISA. Micro-neutralisation assay was used for antigenic characterisation of selected isolates. Genomic DNA was isolated from cultured cells, tumours and feather pulp. ALV-J envelope sequences were amplified by PCR using specific ALV-J primers while antibodies against ALV-J were detected by ELISA. RESULTS: A total of 62 ALV-J isolates were recovered and confirmed by PCR from 15 (31.3%) of 48 breeder flocks tested. Antibody to ALV-J was detected in 20 (47.6%) of the 42 flocks tested. Characteristic lesions of myeloid leukosis caused by ALV-J were found in affected flocks. The gross pathological lesions were characterised by skeletal myelocytomas located on the inner sternum and ribs, neoplastic enlargement of the liver, and in some cases gross tumour involvement of the spleen, kidney, trachea, skeletal muscles, bone marrow, skin and gonads. Microscopically, the tumours consisted of immature granulated myelocytes, and were present as focal or diffuse infiltrations in the affected organs. Virus micro-neutralisation assays demonstrated antigenic variation among Australian isolates and to overseas strains of ALV-J. CONCLUSION: ALV-J infection was prevalent in Australian broiler breeder flocks during 2001 to 2003. Australian isolates of ALV-J show a degree of antigenic variation when compared to overseas isolates.     

J亚型禽白血病研究进展

J亚型禽白血病（AL-J）是由外源性J亚型禽白血病病毒（ALV-J）引起的致瘤性和免疫抑制性传染病。该病既可水平传播又可垂直传播,在中国鸡群中污染极为普遍且日趋复杂化,严重危害养鸡业的健康发展。由于该病迄今尚无疫苗和有效治疗药物,目前所采取的主要防控措施是对种鸡群净化。作者就其病原学、流行病学、诊断与防控等方面的研究近况进行了综述。     

Isolation and some characteristics of a subgroup J-like avian leukosis virus associated with myeloid leukosis in meat-type chickens in the United States.

Several subgroup J-like avian leukosis viruses (ALV-Js) were isolated from broiler breeder (BB) and commercial broiler flocks experiencing myeloid leukosis (ML) at 4 wk of age or older. In all cases, diagnosis of ML was based on the presence of typical gross and microscopic lesions in affected tissues. The isolates were classified as ALV-J by 1) their ability to propagate in chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF) that are resistant to avian leukosis virus (ALV) subgroups A and E (C/AE) and 2) positive reaction in a polymerase chain reaction with primers specific for ALV-J. The prototype strain of these isolates, an isolate termed ADOL-Hc1, was obtained from an adult BB flock that had a history of ML. The ADOL-Hc1 was isolated and propagated on C/AE CEF and was distinct antigenically from ALV of subgroups A, B, C, D, and E, as determined by virus neutralization tests. Antibody to ADOL-Hc1 neutralized strain HPRS-103, the prototype of ALV-J isolated from meat-type chickens in the United Kingdom, but antibody to HPRS-103 did not neutralize strain ADOL-Hc1. On the basis of both viremia and antibody, prevalence of ALV-J infection in affected flocks was as high as 87%. Viremia in day-old chicks of three different hatches from a BB flock naturally infected with ALV-J varied from 4% to 25%; in two of the three hatches, 100% of chicks that tested negative for virus at hatch had evidence of viremia by 8 wk of age. The data document the isolation of ALV-J from meat-type chickens experiencing ML as young as 4 wk of age. The data also suggest that strain ADOL-Hc1 is antigenically related, but not identical, to strain HPRS-103 and that contact transmission of ALV-J is efficient and can lead to tolerant infection.     

血管瘤相关J亚群禽白血病病毒ZH-08株的分离与全基因组序列测定

本研究从临床表现为典型血管瘤型禽白血病病例的广东某肉种鸡场的病鸡中,分离到1株J亚群禽白血病病毒(ALV-J),命名为ZH-08。利用ELISA抗原检测、PCR和间接免疫荧光试验对分离株进行鉴定,结果都呈阳性。依据ALV-J原型株HPRS-103前病毒全基因组序列设计并合成3对引物,采用分段扩增的方法完成了分离株的全基因组序列测定。结果显示该分离株基因组序列全长7 597 bp,与已公开的全基因组序列大小比较略有差异,但符合典型的复制完全型反转录病毒的基因组结构,基因序列中不含已知致癌基因。将该分离株的亚群特异性gp85基因序列与国内外各参考株相应序列进行相似性比较,发现ZH-08与YZ9901株相似性最高(93.7%)。基于gp85核苷酸序列的系统进化分析表明:ZH-08株与SD07LK1株的亲缘关系最近。本研究为该毒株的生物学特性以及致病机制研究奠定了基础。     

Avian leukosis virus subgroup J: a rapidly evolving group of oncogenic retroviruses.

A strain of avian leukosis virus (ALV) belonging to a new envelope subgroup J was isolated in the UK in 1988 from meat-type chickens. The disease caused by the members of this subgroup has since spread very rapidly worldwide and has become one of the major problems facing the broiler meat industry. Molecular characterisation of HPRS -103, the prototype of subgroup J, has shown that it has a structure of a typical ALV with gag, pol and env genes. However the env gene was distinct from that of other ALV s and was closely related to that of novel endogenous retroviral elements designated EAV - HP. As other regions of the genome were closely related to ALV s, it is believed that ALV-J has evolved by recombination with the env sequences of EAV - HP. ALV-J has a tropism for myeloid cells, a feature that may be associated with its ability to induce myeloid leukosis. Recent data show that ALV -J isolates evolve rapidly resulting in sequence changes within the variable regions of the env gene leading to antigenic variation. Eradication programmes established for other subgroups are proving to be effective in eradicating ALV-J from infected flocks.     

山东省肉种鸡群三种家禽肿瘤性疾病流行病学调查

为调查山东省家禽肿瘤性疾病的流行情况,本研究以血清学、病理组织学、免疫组织化学、病原学等检测手段,在山东省境内17家AA种鸡场进行检测.血清学试验结果显示:马立克氏病病毒(MDV)平均抗原阳性率为1.87%;禽白血病病毒J亚群(ALV-J)和网状内皮组织增生症病毒(REV)平均抗体阳性率分别为9.52%和39.78%;双重及三重感染,MDV+ALV-J、MDV+REV、ALV-J+REV及MDV+ALV-J+REV感染率分别为1.12%、1.21%、3.92%和0.65%.对57羽疑似肿瘤病的病鸡检测显示:MDV、ALV-J和REV的抗体阳性率分别为19.3%、47.37%和57.89%;MDV+ALV-J、MDV+REV和ALV-J+REV的双阳性率分别为1.75%、3.5%和19.3%;无三重感染.病理组织学观察显示:病鸡体内既有各病毒引起的单纯肿瘤,也有双重肿瘤共存的现象.免疫组织化学检测显示,MDV、ALV-J和REV抗原阳性信号在病鸡中的比例分别为38.6%、54.39%和28.07%.PCR检测结果表明:MDV、ALV-J和REV的阳性率分别为43.86%、64.91%和33.33%;MDV+ALV-J、MDV+REV、ALV-J+REV和MDV+ALV-J+REV阳性率分别为15.79%、10.53%、12.28%和7.02%.本研究结果表明,山东省境内AA肉鸡群中仍存在较高的肿瘤性病毒感染率.     

Molecular and biological characterization of a naturally occurring recombinant subgroup B avian leukosis virus with a subgroup J-like long terminal repeat

Infection of broiler chickens with subgroup J avian leukosis virus (ALV) results in the induction of myeloid tumors. However, although egg-type chickens are susceptible to infection with ALV-J, the tumor incidence is very low, and on rare occasions the tumors observed are of the myeloid lineage. We recently described the isolation of an ALV (AF115-4) from commercial egg-type chickens suffering from myeloid leukosis. AF115-4 was initially identified as an ALV-J isolate based on PCR analysis of the long terminal repeat (LTR). However, further characterization of the viral envelope indicated that the virus is recombinant with subgroups B envelope and J LTR. Here we further characterize this recombinant virus at both the molecular and biological levels. We show that the AF115-4 isolate expresses a recombinant envelope glycoprotein encoded by a subgroup B gp85 region and a subgroup E gp37 region. The host range ofAF115-4 was analyzed using cells resistant to infection by subgroups A/B, J, or E; this shows that no ALV-J was present in the isolates obtained from the affected chickens. Additional antigenic characterization of AF115-4 using chicken sera specific for subgroups B or J indicated that no ALV-J was present in the samples examined. Inoculation of AF 115-4 into ALV-susceptible 1515 X 71 chickens resulted in the induction of lymphoid leukosis but not the expected myeloid leukosis affecting the commercial chickens. These results suggest that differences in the genetic makeup of the chickens from which AF115-4 was isolated and the line 1515 X 71 used in the present experiments may be responsible for the observed differences in pathogenicity. In addition, the results suggest that ALV-J continues to evolve by recombination, generating new viruses with different pathological properties.     

安徽省禽白血病感染的血清学调查及gp85基因的扩增

随机抽取安徽省3个肉种鸡场种鸡及3个地市农贸市场商品鸡的血清样本和泄殖腔拭子,采用ELISA进行鸡白血病检测,并对J亚群鸡白血病病毒抗体阳性鸡群中病鸡的肝组织、全血及上毒细胞提取DNA进行PCR扩增和基因测序。检测结果表明,3个肉种鸡场中J亚群鸡白血病抗体阳性检出率分别为：0、73.50%和15.22%;3个农贸市场商品鸡抗体阳性检出率分别为：12.00%、2.22%和9.10%。3个肉种鸡场A、B亚群鸡白血病的抗体阳性率分别为0、17.93%和1.08%,ALV抗原阳性率分别为2.17%、17.93%和15.22%。PCR检测结果表明,从可疑发病鸡的肝组织和全血中均能扩增出ALV-J gp85特异性片段。结果证实安徽省鸡群中有ALV-J感染,并呈不同程度的流行,应引起高度重视。     

Recombinant avian leukosis viruses of subgroup J isolated from field infected commercial layer chickens with hemangioma and myeloid leukosis possess an insertion in the E element

Background  

Five isolates (JS09GY2, JS09GY3, JS09GY4, JS09GY5, and JS09GY6) of avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) were isolated from six infected commercial layer flocks displaying both hemangioma and myeloid leukosis (ML), which shared the same parental line, in China in 2009.     

禽髓细胞性白血病骨髓内瘤细胞核内Ag-NOR蛋白颗粒定量分析

对禽髓细胞性白血病(ML)自然病例和J亚群禽白血病病毒内蒙株(IMC10200)试验感染肉鸡的骨髓组织,采用Ag-NOR染色技术,进行了瘤细胞核仁组成区嗜银蛋白(Ag-NOR蛋白)的形态观察及定量分析。结果表明:随着ML病变加重,瘤细胞核内Ag-NOR蛋白颗粒数量明显增多;其大小、形态均与对照组显著差异。     

用ALV-J gp85单克隆抗体证明蛋鸡存在J亚群禽白血病

采用免疫组化法，对病理学初步诊断为蛋用型鸡J亚群白血病的自然发病鸡的肿瘤、骨髓、肝脏、脾脏、肾脏、肺脏、心脏、胰脏、输卵管、卵巢、腺胃、骨骼肌、大脑、坐骨神经，用特异性抗J亚群禽白血病病毒(ALV—J)囊膜糖蛋白gp85的单克隆抗体进行检测，待检的组织切片中均检出阳性抗原，免疫组化的研究结果与病理学诊断结果相一致。在国内外首次发现并报道蛋用型鸡J亚群禽白血病的自然病例。     

某海兰褐鸡场祖代、父母代及商品代鸡血管瘤型ALV-J的分离与鉴定

从山东省某海兰褐鸡场祖代、父母代种鸡和商品代蛋鸡中获得疑似血管瘤型禽白血病(Avian leukosis,AL)病料.采用病理剖检、IFA、分子生物学检测,确定为J亚群禽白血病.从祖代、父母代病料中各分离到1株J亚群禽白血病病毒(J subgroup of avian leukosis virus,ALV-J),从商品代蛋鸡中分离到4株ALV-J.根据原型毒株HPRS103设计1对gp85基因引物,获得gp85基因序列.获得的gp85基因序列与各亚群参考毒株序列核苷酸同源性比对,结果显示:分离自商品代蛋鸡的Commercial03株、Commercial04株、Commercial06株和父母代分离株Parent02株位于同一分支,同源性在97.2％～97.9％,与HPRS103株同源性94.7％～95.2％;Commercial05株与祖代分离株Grandparent01株在同一分支,与HPRS103株同源性为98.3％,4株分离自商品代的ALV-J同源性为95.0％～99.9％.表明商品代蛋鸡中的ALV-J可能来自父母代或祖代种鸡的垂直传播,也可能来自于其他来源的水平传播.从同一鸡场祖代、父母代及商品代鸡中分离得到ALV-J,这在我国还是首次.对后续研究其基因突变、致瘤机制等奠定了良好的基础.     

Immunohistochemical localization of avian leukosis virus subgroup J in tissues from naturally infected chickens.

The tissue tropism of avian leukosis virus (ALV) subgroup J (ALV-J) was investigated in congenitally infected broiler chickens by an immunohistochemistry technique detecting gp85 viral glycoprotein. All organs examined contained detectable antigen. The most intense staining was in the adrenal gland, heart, kidney, and proventriculus. Intense staining for viral antigen in the heart may explain the ability of ALVs to cause cardiomyopathy. Although recent investigations failed to demonstrate specific viral staining in bone marrow from infected chickens, we were able to show moderate staining in myelocytic precursor cells in bone marrow. This finding agrees with previous work showing cell cultures of bone marrow are susceptible to ALV-J infection and the tendency of subgroup J to predominantly induce myeloid rather than lymphoid neoplasms.     

淋巴细胞性J亚群禽白血病病理学观察

本研究旨在探讨日益复杂和多样的J亚群禽白血病的肿瘤病理表现.在流行病学调查基础上,对广东省4个集约型清远麻鸡种鸡场的禽白血病病原进行了分离鉴定和PCR检测,确诊其病原为禽白血病毒J亚群(ALV-J).通过病理组织学研究发现,这些鸡场ALV-J的主要病理表现为淋巴细胞性肿瘤(82.9％),其次为血管瘤型肿瘤(11.4％),髓细胞性肿瘤仅为5.7％.淋巴细胞性肿瘤主要出现在内脏实质器官,肝脏、脾脏、肾脏、肺脏、腺胃和胰腺等器官明显肿胀,实质中可见大小不一的灰白色肿瘤结节,切面均质柔软.肿瘤的实质主要由典型的成淋巴细胞和淋巴样瘤细胞构成,病理性核分裂像多见.研究结果证实,清远麻鸡出现了一种新的J亚群禽白血病表现形式,即淋巴细胞性J亚群禽白血病,在国内外尚属首次报道.     

2009年我国部分地区禽白血病分子流行病学调查

为了解自2009年年初以来国内一些地区禽白血病流行情况及流行毒株的分子特征,我们从湖北、黑龙江、山东、辽宁、吉林、广东、宁夏、安徽8个省区39个鸡场采集疑似禽白血病病料样品178份,用ALV-A、ALV-B和ALV-J特异性引物,通过PCR方法进行检测。结果表明,8个省的35个鸡场的124份病料中检出了ALV-J(69.7%);25份病料中检出了ALV-A(13.9%);7份病料中检出了ALV-B(3.9%)。14个分离毒株env基因氨基酸同源性为84.3%～99%;与J亚群原型毒株HPRS-103的氨基酸序列同源性为87.3%～98.2%;与其它J亚群env基因氨基酸序列同源性为83%～97.4%。遗传进化分析表明,14个ALV-J分离株分别分属于不同的分支。其中,LJL09DH02分离株与其它分离株及参考毒株的的亲缘关系最远,与HPRS-103的氨基酸同源性仅为87.3%。另外4个分离株的env基因与HPRS-103的氨基酸同源性低于93%,其余9株与HPRS-103的同源性较高(96.6%以上)。该调查结果表明,我国目前ALV的感染主要以J亚群为主,ALV-A和B同时存在。     

我国部分地区蛋鸡ALV-J分离株gp85基因遗传进化分析

为了解我国蛋鸡J亚型白血病病毒(ALV-J)株来源及其遗传进化关系,本研究对2009年从我国6个省区蛋鸡场分离到的19株ALV-J的gp85基因进行克隆和测序,并与11个ALV-J参考株gp85基因作了比较分析.结果表明:19个ALV-J分离株的gp85基因长度为894bp～924 bp不等,分别编码298～308个氨基酸;各病毒株间gp85推导氨基酸的同源性为71.3%～100%.遗传进化分析表明,目前我国蛋鸡ALV-J分离株来源复杂,其中13个分离株与英国原型株HPRS-103、国内麻黄肉鸡株SCAU-0901亲缘关系较近;3个分离株与美国株ADOL-7501及国内白羽肉鸡株HN0001处在同一大的分支;而另外3个分离株则各自形成独立的分支,表明其gp85基因发生了较大变异.本研究表明,19个分离株与国内早期肉鸡分离株亲缘关系较远,提示我国当前蛋鸡ALV-J株可能并非源自国内早期肉鸡ALV-J株,其来源有待进一步研究.     

Heterophil function and resistance to staphylococcal challenge in broiler chickens naturally infected with avian leukosis virus subgroup J

Avian leukosis virus subgroup J has a high tropism for myeloid lineage cells and frequently induces neoplastic transformation of myelocytes. The impact of congenital avian leukosis virus subgroup J infection on the function of circulating heterophils and susceptibility to staphylococcal infection was investigated. Six-week-old broiler chickens negative for exogenous avian leukosis viruses or congenitally infected with avian leukosis virus subgroup J were inoculated intravenously with 10(6) colony-forming units of Staphylococcus aureus, and pre- and postinoculation heterophil function was assessed. All chickens developed a leukocytosis with heterophilia after inoculation, but total leukocyte and heterophil counts were significantly higher in leukosis-negative chickens than in virus-infected chickens. Tenosynovitis was more severe in leukosis-negative chickens, and 2/10 (20%) of the virus-infected chickens had no histologic evidence of tenosynovitis. Osteomyelitis in the tibiotarsus or tarsometatarsus developed in 5/10 (50%) of the chickens in each group. S. aureus was recovered from the hock joint of 6/10 (60%) of the chickens in each group. Heterophils from all chickens exhibited similar phagocytic ability pre- and postinoculation. Heterophils from virus-infected chickens exhibited less bactericidal ability preinoculation than did heterophils from leukosis-negative chickens. However, postinoculation bactericidal ability was similar in both groups. Avian leukosis virus subgroup J provirus was present in heterophils isolated from congenitally infected chickens. Heterophils isolated from broiler chickens congenitally infected with avian leukosis virus subgroup J exhibit no significant functional deficits, and infected and uninfected chickens exhibit similar susceptibility to staphylococcal infection.     

禽白血病病毒J亚群(ALV-J)基因表达与抗原定位的研究

本研究通过原位杂交(ISH)和免疫组织化学(IHC)技术检测了组织中ALV-J病毒RNA的表达及定位。原位杂交结果显示：在攻毒后3周时．所检测到的组织大部分已感染病毒；病毒对肝脏、心脏、肾脏的实质细胞、骨髓髓系细胞和卵巢基质中的间质细胞、脾脏红髓内的单核-巨噬细胞有较高的嗜性．在核膜及胞浆内显示出蓝紫色颗粒状的特异性信号，而在法氏囊、胸腺、脑和坐骨神经中检测不到病毒RNA及病毒基因的表达。免疫组化结果与原位杂交相似，在核膜及胞浆内可见蓝紫色阳性信号．瘤组织的信号较强，显示了较强的抗原性。由骨髓和其他组织的结果可推测ALV-J诱导肿瘤可能和病毒基因的插入位点有直接关系，而和病毒在组织内的数量没有直接关系。     

Isolation and characterization of emerging subgroup J avian leukosis virus associated with hemangioma in egg-type chickens

Subgroup J avian leukosis virus (ALV-J), first isolated in 1989, predominantly causes myeloid leukosis (ML) in meat-type or egg-type chicken. Since 2006, the clinical cases of hemangioma rather than ML in commercial layer flocks associated with ALV-J have been reported, but it was still not clear whether the novel oncogenic ALV-J had emerged. We characterized SCAU-HN06 isolate of ALV-J from hemangioma in commercial Roman layers through animal experiment and full-length proviral genome sequence analysis. The SPF white leghorn egg-type chickens infected with SCAU-HN06 in ovo at day 11 of incubation showed an overall incidence of 56% hemangioma and 8% renal tumor throughout the 22-week trial, the mortality rate was 16%. Most genes of SCAU-HN06 isolate showed high nucleotide sequence identity to JS09GY6 which was isolated from Hy-Line Variety Brown layers suffering hemangioma. The 19-bp insertion in leader sequence and one key deletion in E element were the common features of SCAU-HN06 and JS09GY6. SCAU-HN06 and those ALV-Js associated with hemangioma, possibly recombinants of ALV-J and other avian retrovirus, may share the same ancestor.