Chicken B lymphoma DT40 cells as a useful tool for in vitro analysis of pathogenic infectious bursal disease virus

Susceptibility of DT40 cells to pathogenic field strains of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) including very virulent and classical virulent strains were studied. After the first and second passage of the virus in DT40 cells, IBDV-specific antigen was readily detected in DT40 cells inoculated with the pathogenic field strain infected bursal homogenates. Nucleotide sequence analysis in the VP2 hypervariable domain, which is critical for the virulence of IBDV, revealed no common amino acid substitutions among the pathogenic IBDVs in accordance with the propagation in DT40 cells. These results indicate that DT40 cells are a useful tool for rapid isolation of pathogenic field strains and successive in vitro analysis of IBDV.     

Detection of antibodies against serotypes 1 and 2 infectious bursal disease virus by commercial ELISA kits

Two distinct serotypes of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) are recognized in chicken and turkey flocks in the United States. Serologic testing of chicken flocks for serotype 1 viruses is routinely performed to monitor disease status and vaccination. Earlier studies indicated that enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test detects antibodies to both serotypes of the virus, while the virus neutralization (VN) test is serotype specific. It is useful to evaluate currently available commercial ELISA kits for their ability to differentiate between antibodies elicited by the two serotypes. Three trials were performed in which chickens were orally inoculated with either a high or a low dose of serotype 1 STC or serotype 2 OH strains of IBDV. Sera collected at 0, 7, 14, and 21 days from these chickens and antisera procured from naturally infected broiler (n=20) and layer (n=30) flocks were tested with five different commercial ELISA kits and by VN. All ELISA kits detected different levels of antibodies elicited against serotype 1 of the virus and moderate and high levels of antibodies against serotype 2 virus. A correlation existed between the ELISA and the VN titers of experimentally infected chickens. All serum samples tested from the commercial layer flocks and 65% of the broiler flocks had antibodies against the OH strain. However, no correlation between the VN titers and ELISA titers was observed for the commercial broilers and layers sera by the majority of the kits. The results indicated that currently available commercial ELISA kits detect antibodies elicited by the two serotypes of IBDV. Hence, the prevalence of serotype 2 antibodies in the flocks should be considered while determining antibody profiles of the flocks against serotype 1 viruses.     

Differential detection of infectious bursal disease virus serotypes, using cDNA probes to VP2 coding region.

Two nonoverlapping clones, pOH405 and pOH632, containing cDNA inserts in the VP2 coding region of genome segment A were selected from a cDNA library prepared from the double-stranded RNA genome of the OH strain of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) of serotype 2. Clone pOH405, which is located in the hypervariable segment of VP2, is 328 base pairs long, has nucleotide sequence homology of 72 to 73%, and amino acid sequence homology of 64 to 67% with IBDV strains of serotype 1. Clone pOH632, which is located in the highly conserved C-terminal part of VP2, is 230 base pairs long, has nucleotide sequence homology of 87 to 88%, and amino acid sequence homology of 100% with IBDV serotype 1. The lower detection limit of 32P-labeled probes prepared from both clones was 10 ng of OH-IBDV double-stranded RNA, using high-stringency conditions of hybridization (54 C, 50% formamide) and washing (55 C, 0.015M NaCl, 0.0015M trisodium citrate, pH 7.0, with 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate), and autoradiography for 24 hours. Under these conditions, the dot-blot hybridization assay for detection of serotype 2 IBDV double-stranded RNA, was 1,000 times more sensitive, using probe pOH632, but only 10 times more sensitive, using probe pOH405, compared with the assay for IBDV serotype 1, using the same probes. Thus, probe pOH632 could differentiate between the 2 IBDV serotypes by nucleic acid hybridization.     

In ovo vaccination of specific-pathogen-free chickens with vaccines containing multiple agents.

We used in ovo technology to protect chickens against multiple diseases by inoculating vaccines containing mixtures of live viral agents. A single in ovo injection of a vaccine containing serotypes 1, 2, and 3 of Marek's disease virus (MDV), a vaccine strain of serotype 1 infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV), and recombinant fowl pox vaccine with HN and F genes of Newcastle disease virus (rFP-NDV) induced protection against virulent MDV, IBDV, Newcastle disease virus, and fowl poxvirus. The multiple-agent vaccine induced specific antibodies against the viral agents present in the mixture and did not adversely affect the survival of hatched chickens. Inoculation of a vaccine containing serotypes 1, 2, and 3 of MDV and IBDV did not affect hatchability of eggs, although the addition of rFP-NDV to the mixture reduced hatchability by 23%-26%. In ovo vaccination with a vaccine containing MDV and IBDV vaccine viruses did not exacerbate the inhibitory effect of individual viral agents on humoral and cellular immune competence.     

Bluetongue virus: virology, pathogenesis and immunity

Bluetongue (BT) virus, an orbivirus of the Reoviridae family encompassing 24 known serotypes, is transmitted to ruminants via certain species of biting midges (Culicoides spp.) and causes thrombo-hemorrhagic fevers mainly in sheep. During the 20th century, BTV was endemic in sub-tropical regions but in the last ten years, new strains of BTV (serotypes 1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 16) have appeared in Europe leading to a devastating disease in naive sheep and bovine herds (serotype 8). BTV enters into insect cells via the viral inner core VP7 protein and in mammalian cells via the external capsid VP2 haemagglutinin, which is the major determinant of BTV serotype and neutralization. BTV replicates in mononuclear phagocytes and endothelial cells where it induces expression of inflammatory cytokines as well as apoptosis. BTV can remain as nonreplicating entities concealed in erythrocytes for up to five months. Homologous protection against one BTV serotype involves neutralizing antibodies and T cell responses directed to the external VP2 and VP5 proteins, whereas heterologous protection is supported by T cells directed to the NS1 non structural protein and inner core proteins. Classical inactivated vaccines directed to a specific serotype generate protective immunity and may help control current epidemic situations. New recombinant vaccine strategies that allow differentiating infected from vaccinated animals and that generate cross protective immunity are urgently needed to efficiently combat this worldwide threatening disease.     

Serological differentiation of five bluetongue virus serotypes in indirect ELISA.

The serological reactivity in indirect ELISA of five different bluetongue virus (BTV) serotypes (4, 10, 15, 16 & 20) was compared using polyclonal antisera raised against virus particles and an outer structural protein, VP2. Rabbit and sheep antisera against BTV-10 produced higher ELISA values with their homologous antigens than with heterologous serotypes. A hyperimmune rabbit serum specific for virus particles was able to distinguish heterologous serotypes from each other, but a sheep serum from an infected animal was not. An antiserum directed against VP2, the protein responsible for serotype specificity in neutralization tests, was not serotype-specific in ELISA and cross-reacted with other serotypes. The discriminatory ability of a BTV-4 antiserum was improved by cross-absorption with heterologous antigens. This greatly reduced the ELISA signals with heterologous serotypes and produced an antiserum that was effectively serotype-specific.     

Replication of infectious bursal disease virus in macrophages and altered tropism of progeny virus

We serially passaged classical infectious bursal disease virus (cIBDV) and antigenic variant IBDV (vIBDV) in an avian macrophage cell line, NCSU cells, referred as mcIBDV and mvIBDV respectively and examined the in vitro and in vivo characteristics of the macrophage-adapted viruses. NCSU adapted viruses caused earlier destruction of NCSU cells than the unadapted viruses. Nitric oxide (NO) was detected earlier in cultures infected with mcIBDV and mvIBDV than in cultures infected with cIBDV and vIBDV. cIBDV and vIBDV were able to infect DF-1 cells, a chicken embryo fibroblast cell line, only after one replication cycle in NCSU cells. The genetic basis of altered tropism of progeny virus from NCSU cells infected cultures was not identified. No aa substitutions were observed in hypervariable region of VP2 of cIBDV and vIBDV passaged 1 time in NCSU cells whereas both mcIBDV and mvIBDV had multiple aa substitutions. To assess protective efficacy of mcIBDV and mvIBDV, embryonated chicken eggs were inoculated with mcIBDV and mvIBDV at embryonation day 18 (ED 18) and challenged with a virulent cIBDV at 3 weeks of age. mcIBDV and mvIBDV were immunogenic and generated antibody responses and provided 100% protection against cIBDV.     

鸡传染性法氏囊病病毒VP2与白喉毒素截短体DT390融合蛋白的真核表达及免疫原性检测

为探究白喉毒素截短体DT390是否对鸡传染性法氏囊病病毒(Infectious bursal disease virus,IBDV)VP2蛋白具有免疫增强作用,本研究利用有白喉毒素抗性的毕赤酵母表达系统对DT390和VP2进行融合表达,用SDS-PAGE和Western blotting方法对表达的融合蛋白DT390-VP2进行了鉴定。将24只21日龄SPF雏鸡随机均分为4组:VP2组、DT390-VP2组、PBS(对照组)和B87组(阳性对照组),在第0和14天,分别对各组雏鸡进行免疫,在首免后第28天,每只雏鸡接种100 BID₅₀的IBDV BC6/85毒株,采用ELISA法检测免疫前后不同时间各组雏鸡血清的VP2特异性抗体水平,采用法氏囊组织切片HE染色及病理损伤评分来评价法氏囊的损伤程度,评价融合蛋白DT390-VP2在雏鸡体内的免疫原性和保护功能。SDS-PAGE和Western blotting分析结果显示,表达和提纯后的目的蛋白确为糖基化的融合蛋白DT390-VP2(91.26 ku)。体内试验结果显示,首次免疫21 d后,DT390-VP2组的VP2特异性抗体滴度分别显著和极显著高于B87组(P<0.05)和VP2组(P<0.01);首次免疫28 d后,DT390-VP2组的VP2特异性抗体滴度极显著高于VP2组(P<0.01);与VP2蛋白相比,融合蛋白DT390-VP2减轻了雏鸡法氏囊淋巴滤泡的萎缩程度。综上所述,白喉毒素截短体DT390以融合表达的方式增强了VP2的体液免疫原性,融合蛋白DT390-VP2在一定程度上减轻了IBDV BC6/85毒株造成的组织损伤。     

Development of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of antibody to epizootic hemorrhagic disease of deer virus.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay has been developed to detect antibodies to epizootic hemorrhagic disease of deer virus (EHDV). The assay incorporates a monoclonal antibody to EHDV serotype 2 (EHDV-2) that demonstrates specificity for the viral structural protein, VP7. The assay was evaluated with sequential sera collected from cattle experimentally infected with EHDV serotype 1 (EHDV-1) and EHDV-2, as well as the four serotypes of bluetongue virus (BTV), BTV-10, BTV-11, BTV-13, and BTV-17, that currently circulate in the US. A competitive and a blocking format as well as the use of antigen produced from both EHDV-1- and EHDV-2-infected cells were evaluated. The assay was able to detect specific antibody as early as 7 days after infection and could differentiate animals experimentally infected with EHDV from those experimentally infected with BTV. The diagnostic potential of this assay was demonstrated with field-collected serum samples from cattle, deer, and buffalo.     

Failure of viral protein 3 of infectious bursal disease virus produced in prokaryotic and eukaryotic expression systems to protect chickens against the disease

In recent years, infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) has become a serious economic problem as a result of the emergence of new and very virulent strains. Most of the antibodies produced against IBDV are for the structural proteins viral protein (VP) 2 (VP2) and VP3. The purpose of this study was to test the potential of recombinant VP3 to induce protective antibodies. The gene for VP3 was isolated from a virulent strain of the virus and cloned into prokaryotic (Escherichia coli) and eukaryotic (baculovirus) expression systems. The protein expressed by both systems was of the expected size (32 kD) and was detected by anti-IBDV antibodies. Following partial purification, the polypeptides were injected into intact birds and induced the production of high levels of anti-IBDV antibodies, as detected by immunoblot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay tests. These antibodies did not prevent changes in the bursa and mortality when birds were challenged with a virulent IBDV strain after vaccination with the recombinant VP3. The results show that VP3 polypeptide cannot be used as a subunit vaccine against IBDV and raise questions concerning the nature of the neutralizing epitope on this structural protein.     

靶向VP1和VP2双拷贝shRNA重组表达质粒抑制传染性法氏囊病病毒复制的研究

为抑制传染性法氏囊病病毒(IBDV)的复制,本研究构建了靶向IBDV VP1和VP2基因的鸡双向U6启动子(chU6)双拷贝shRNA重组表达质粒pchU6-shRNA12,将其转染鸡胚成纤维细胞(CEF),再接种IBDV,72 h后,未出现细胞病变(CPE),病毒滴度小于101 TCID50/0.1mL;而转染空质粒和未转染两个对照组均出现明显的CPE,病毒滴度均达到108.75 TCID50/0.1 mL.此外,将pchU6-shRNA12与IBDV混合,接种于10日龄SPF鸡胚尿囊腔,96 h后,鸡胚发育正常,病毒滴度小于101 ELD5,0/0.1 mL,实时荧光定量RT-PCR检测VP1和VP2基因,比单纯接种IBDV组分别降低92％和95％;而含有空质粒和不含质粒两个对照组鸡胚则全部死亡,病毒滴度均达到107.00 ELD50/0.1mL.本研究结果表明,chU6启动子在双拷贝shRNA表达质粒pchU6-shRNA12中能高效驱动双拷贝shRNA的转录,生成的siRNA在CEF(in vitro)和鸡胚体内(in vivo)均能有效抑制IBDV的复制.     

Nucleic acid and structural proteins of infectious bursal disease virus isolates belonging to serotypes I and II

The nucleic acid and structural proteins of infectious bursal disease virus serotype I (six isolates) were compared with those of serotype II (two isolates). Five of the serotype I isolates originated from chickens, whereas both serotype II isolates were from turkeys. The growth curves of representative isolates of both serotypes were similar, but the latent period and virus yield were different. The seven isolates tested had two segments of double-stranded genomic RNA. The RNA migration patterns of viruses belonging to each serotype were similar, but differences were noticed between the two serotypes. There were differences in the molecular weights of viral proteins (VP) 3 and 4 from the two serotypes, and serotype II isolates lacked VP-2.     

表达传染性法氏囊病病毒VP2基因的重组鸡痘病毒的构建及其免疫保护性研究

以脂质体转染技术构建了表达鸡传染性法氏囊病病毒（ＩＢＤＶ）ＶＰ２基因的重组鸡痘病毒ＦＰＶ－ＶＰ２，该病毒在鸡胚成纤维细胞及鸡体内均能稳定产生子代病毒，经翅皮下５×１０５ＰＦＵ／羽免疫１日龄ＳＰＦ鸡，免疫后４周以１００ＬＤ５０／羽ＩＢＤＶ超强毒株Ｇ株攻毒，获得了５／６的保护，但不能有效预防临床发病及法氏囊受损萎缩。实验结果证明了ＶＰ２是ＩＢＤＶ的宿主保护性抗原，提示Ｔ细胞介导的免疫可能在ＩＢＤＶ的免疫中起着较为重要的作用。本研究为ＩＢＤＶ重组病毒疫苗研制进行了有益探索。     

Lack of pathogenicity of five serotype 2 infectious bursal disease viruses in chickens

The pathogenic potential of five strains of serotype 2 infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) for specific-pathogen-free chickens was examined. There were no gross or microscopic lesions in the inoculated chickens. Bursa-to-body-weight ratios of IBDV-infected chickens were not significantly different from those of uninfected controls. Virus-neutralizing antibodies to IBDV of serotype 2, but not serotype 1, were detected in infected chickens. This study indicated that the serotype 2 viruses examined were infectious but not pathogenic in chickens.     

传染性囊病病毒诱导细胞凋亡的初步观察

用１株ＩＢＤＶ强毒株感染易感小鸡，对病鸡法氏囊进行电镜观察及ＤＮＡ电泳分析，直接观察到病鸡法氏囊中Ｂ淋巴细胞凋亡的典型形态学特征和生化变化：染色质凝聚成团，集于核膜旁，胞膜与核膜出现凹陷，细胞拉长变形，最后细胞裂解成由膜包围着的小团，被网状细胞和巨噬细胞吞噬；感染ＩＢＤＶ２４～４８ｈ的法氏囊细胞总ＤＮＡ在电泳谱上呈梯状条带，而从正常的法氏囊提取的总ＤＮＡ在电泳谱上只有１条带。结果表明，ＩＢＤＶ感染小鸡之后，导致了法氏囊中Ｂ淋巴细胞的凋亡。作者据此推断，细胞凋亡是造成Ｂ淋巴细胞数量减少，从而导致小鸡免疫抑制的原因     

Efficacy of VP2 protein expressed in E. coli for protection against highly virulent infectious bursal disease virus

The ability of a heat-inactivated whole virus from a highly virulent infectious bursal disease virus (hvIBDV) and VP2 protein from hvIBDV expressed in E. coli provided protection against a hvIBDV challenge in specific-pathogen-free (SPF) chickens. Six out of seven chickens that were injected three times with crude VP2 protein developed significant antibody titer against IBDV. However, only four out of the seven chickens survived the hvIBDV challenge. Despite showing low antibody titer profiles, all chickens immunized with the heat-inactivated whole virus also survived the challenged with hvIBDV. However, all of these chickens had bursal atrophy and mild to moderate depletion of lymphocytes. Thus, antibodies raised against IBDV VP2 protein expressed in E. coli and denatured IBDV proteins induced some degree of protection against mortality but not against bursal damage following challenge with hvIBDV.     

Construction of a multiple targeting RNAi plasmid that inhibits target gene expression and FMDV replication in BHK-21 cells and suckling mice

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious disease that afflicts cloven-hoofed animals. The etiological agent of FMD is foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV). The VP1 gene of FMDV is essential during the life cycle of the virus and plays a key role in the attachment of the virus to susceptible cells. We constructed a plasmid, pCWN11, that expresses siRNAs multiple-targeting the VP1 genes of FMDV. We evaluated the gene silencing efficiency of the plasmid using an enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) reporter system in BHK-21 cells. The antiviral potential of the plasmid in BHK-21 cells and suckling mice were investigated. The results indicate that cotransfection of pCWN11 with any one of three serotypes VP1-EGFP plasmids resulted in a reduction in the EGFP signal relative to the control. Moreover, the antiviral potential induced by pCWN11 was evident during challenge with one FMDV isolate of either serotype O (HKN/2002) or serotype Asia I (YNBS/58), and the inhibition extended to almost 40 h. Furthermore, subcutaneous injection of pCWN11 in the neck made suckling mice significantly less susceptible to FMDV serotype O and Asia I.