Comparison of rinderpest and peste des petits ruminants viruses using anti-nucleoprotein monoclonal antibodies

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were obtained using a purified preparation of the RBOK strain of a rinderpest vaccine virus. The cytoplasmic immunofluorescent staining test showed that these clones had specificity for the nucleoprotein (N) of the virus. Six clones which immunoprecipitated the N protein corroborated these results. Thirteen anti-N MAbs were used to compare geographically widespread rinderpest viruses (RPV) and peste des petits ruminants viruses (PPRV) to two other morbilliviruses, measles (MV) and canine distemper (CDV). The N protein antigen profiles of the 23 isolates determined by immunofluorescent staining and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) on infected cells enabled us to classify the strains into groups. A differential identification of the morbilliviruses can be made using one MAb or associations of the MAbs. The potential to distinguish between RPV and PPRV and between virulent and avirulent strains of rinderpest is of primary interest.     

Evolutionary characteristics of morbilliviruses during serial passages in vitro: Gradual attenuation of virus virulence

The genus Morbillivirus is classified into the family Paramyxoviridae, and is composed of 6 members, namely measles virus (MV), rinderpest virus (RPV), peste-des-petits-ruminants virus (PPRV), canine distemper virus (CDV), phocine distemper virus (PDV) and cetacean morbillivirus (CeMV). The MV, RPV, PPRV and CDV have been successfully attenuated through their serial passages in vitro for the production of live vaccines. It has been demonstrated that the morbilliviral virulence in animals was progressively attenuated with their consecutive passages in vitro. However, only a few reports were involved in explanation of an attenuation-related mechanism on them until many years after the establishment of a quasispecies theory. RNA virus quasispecies arise from rapid evolution of viruses with high mutation rate during genomic replication, and play an important role in gradual loss of viral virulence by serial passages. Here, we overviewed the development of live-attenuated vaccine strains against morbilliviruses by consecutive passages in vitro, and further discussed a related mechanism concerning the relationship between virulence attenuation and viral evolution.     

Monoclonal antibody-based competitive ELISA for simultaneous detection of rinderpest virus and peste des petits ruminants virus antibodies

An experimental competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (morbillivirus cELISA) using a recombinant N antigen (rRPV N) expressed in a baculovirus and a ruminant morbillivirus (RPV and PPRV)-specific monoclonal antibody (P-13A9) was developed for simultaneous detection of rinderpest virus (RPV) and peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) antibodies and its diagnostic performance was evaluated. A set of known reference antisera against RPV and PPRV belonging to different lineages, experimental sera from cattle vaccinated for a RPV of Asian lineage, and field sera from cattle and sheep/goat populations known to be positive (West Africa) and negative (Korea) for RPV and PPRV were used for the evaluation. Morbillivirus cELISA results on the panel of experimental RPV and PPRV antisera showed high correlation (r=0.97) between the whole virus and the rRPV N antigens, suggesting that the rRPV N contains a ruminant morbillivirus-specific antigenic determinant recognized by the P-13A9 and it may be suitable as an ELISA antigen in place of the whole virus. Morbillivirus cELISA detected anti-RPV and anti-PPRV antibodies in all reference RPV and PPRV antisera containing VN titers >/=1:8, suggesting that the assay can simultaneously detect antibodies against RPV and PPRV. Anti-RPV antibody was detected by morbillivirus cELISA in vaccinated cattle as early as the VNT and continued to be detectable by both the cELISA and the VNT until termination of the study. When applied to field samples from Africa, morbillivirus cELISA showed good agreement with a RP cELISA kit (kappa value of 0.86) in bovine sera and with a peste des petits ruminant cELISA kit (kappa value of 0.81) in caprine/ovine sera. Usefulness of morbillivirus cELISA using the rRPV N protein was discussed.     

The production of peste des petits ruminants hyperimmune sera in rabbits and their application in virus diagnosis

Hyperimmune sera were produced by serial inoculation of rabbits with Vero cell-adapted, sucrose gradient-purified Nigerian peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) isolate. Two antisera produced, neutralized the homologous PPRV but not the heterologous rinderpest Kabette "O" virus. The antisera gave strong precipitin lines with purified PPRV antigens and were used to detect PPRV and rinderpest virus antigens from ante-mortem secretions and post-mortem tissue homogenates from PPR and rinderpest virus infected goats and cattle by the agar gel precipitation tests (AGPT). The hyperimmune sera gave good titration curves with both purified Nigerian goat and the United Arab Emirate wildlife PPRV isolates in the indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results of indirect ELISA showed that although there were some cross reactions with the rinderpest, canine-distemper and measles viruses, at 1:100 dilution, the antisera would give a positive signal with only the homologous PPR virus.     

Serological studies with peste des petits ruminants and rinderpest viruses in Nigeria

One hundred and ninety-five goat and 67 sheep sera collected from various parts of southern Nigeria were screened for neutralising antibodies to both the peste des petits ruminants (PPR) and rinderpest viruses. Neutralising antibodies against both viruses were found in the sheep and goat sera examined. Parallel titration of samples which neutralised both viruses indicated a primary infection with the PPR virus (PPRV). However, some samples which failed to neutralise PPRV neutralised the rinderpest virus (RV) indicating RV activity in sheep and goats in Nigeria. These findings are discussed in relation to the diagnosis of PPRV infection and the recent reappearance of bovine rinderpest in Nigeria.     

A competitive ELISA using anti-N monoclonal antibodies for specific detection of rinderpest antibodies in cattle and small ruminants.

A competitive ELISA (C-ELISA) using monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) which bind to the nucleo-protein (NP) of rinderpest virus (RPV) for detection of RPV antibodies in cattle and small ruminant sera is described. Unlike virus neutralisation test (VNT), this test using mAb IVB2-4, can detect specific RPV antibodies without showing a cross-reaction with antibodies to peste-des-petits ruminants-virus (PPRV); by contrast, when mAb VE4-1 is used the test detects both RPV and PPRV antibodies, including low levels of antibodies that can be found in sera containing maternal antibodies. Although antibodies to the PPRV 75-1 strain are also detected with mAb 51-5-6, the test is suitable for assessing the immune status of cattle against the Rinderpest Old Kabete (RBOK) strain. The results from a panel of sera with a known status of vaccination provide evidence for a highly significant correlation between C-ELISA and VNT. This test may be a useful tool for a standardized and accurate determination of the immunity status of both cattle and small ruminants.     

Characterization of monoclonal antibodies directed against the canine distemper virus nucleocapsid protein

We have established four monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against the nucleocapsid protein (NP) of canine distemper virus (CDV). A competitive binding assay has revealed that the MAbs are directed against two antigenic domains. An immunofluorescence assay using a series of deletion clones of the NP and an immunoprecipitation assay using the NP have revealed that two of the MAbs recognize the C-terminal region of the NP while the other two recognize the tertiary structure of the N-terminal domain. These MAbs reacted with all eight strains of CDV used in this study, but showed different reactivities against measles virus and rinderpest virus.     

The detection of antibody against peste des petits ruminants virus in Sheep,Goats, Cattle and Buffaloes

Monoclonal antibody-based competitive ELISA (C-ELISA) has been used for the specific measurement of antibodies to peste des petits ruminants (PPR) viruses in sheep, goats, cattle and Buffalo. Serum samples from sheep (n = 232), goats (n = 428), cattle (n = 43), buffalo (n = 89) were tested. The animals had not been vaccinated against rinderpest or PPR. Findings suggested that the sero-positive cases were significantly higher in sheep (51.29%) than in goats (39.02%) (P = 0.002). The overall sero-prevalence of PPRV in small ruminants was 43.33%. The PPR antibodies seroprevalence was 67.42% in buffalo and 41.86% in cattle which was significantly higher in buffalo (P = 0.005). The overall sero-prevalence of PPRV in large ruminants was 59.09%. Cattle and buffalo sera showed a high prevalence of antibody against PPR virus which may explain the difficulty experienced in achieving high post-vaccination immunity levels against rinderpest. Because antibodies against PPR virus are both cross-neutralizing and cross-protective against rinderpest virus, further vaccination in the presence of antibodies against PPR virus may be a waste of national resources. It was also suggested that antibodies to PPR virus could prevent an immune response to the rinderpest vaccine. This paper presents serological evidence for the transmission of PPR virus from sheep and goats to cattle and buffalo and highlights the need to include PPR serology in the sero-monitoring programme to give a better indication of national herd immunity of sheep and goats against PPR.     

Antiserum raised in pigs against canine distemper virus and its utility in diagnostic procedures for morbillivirus infections (canine distemper, phocine distemper, rinderpest)

Antiserum against canine distemper virus (CDV) was raised in pigs by intranasal inoculation with CDV strains CND65 and ROCKBORN. Immunoglobulin fractions were conjugated with horseradish peroxidase. Peroxidase-conjugated anti-CDV immunoglobulin preparations were used for the detection and titration of CDV, seal-derived (phocine) distemper virus (PDV) and rinderpest virus (RPV) in Vero cell cultures. For the detection and titration of corresponding neutralizing antibodies a direct neutralizing peroxidase-linked antibody (NPLA) assay was established. The results were compared with those obtained with the conventional microtitre neutralization test (MNT) based on CPE reading. In addition the sensitivity of an indirect peroxidase-linked antibody (PLA) assay was tested in parallel with that of the NPLA assay using sera obtained from CDV-immunized pigs.     

小反刍兽疫实时荧光PCR检测方法的建立及应用

以小反刍兽疫病毒N基因序列为靶基因,通过设计引物及TaqMan探针建立快速检测小反刍兽疫的荧光PCR方法.在线BLAST分析结果表明:所设计的引物特异性强,可区分小反刍兽疫病毒及牛瘟病毒感染;所建立的方法检测线性范围为1～1×106拷贝质粒DNA,灵敏度可达10拷贝质粒DNA,是常规PCR法的100倍.应用所建立的方法对32份采自西藏疫区的组织样品进行检测,说明疫情在西藏没有扩散.     

Molecular properties of the matrixprotein(M) gene of the lapinized rinderpest virus

The nucleotide sequence of the matrixprotein (M) gene of the lapinized rinderpest virus (RPV-L) was determined. The full-length cDNA of the RPV-L M gene is composed of 1460 base pairs and is supposed to contain an open reading frame of 1005 nucleotides encoding on M protein of 335 amino acids. The homology of the predicted amino acid among congeneric morbilliviruses such as RPV Kabete 'O' strain (wild strain of RPV), RPV RBOK strain (vaccine strain of RPV for cattle), measles virus (MV), and canine distemper virus (CDV), is approximately 94%, 93%, 87% and 77%, respectively. In the present study, all coding regions of the RPV-L strain have been determined.     

Detection of Rinderpest Virus Using N-Protein Monoclonal Antibodies

A panel of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) was generated against the RBOK strain of rinderpest virus (RPV). All of them bound to the N protein of RPV. The antigen capture ELISA using the mAbs could detect the virus in crude viral preparations. The mAb 12BF8.1.1 showed higher reactivity with cell-associated (CA) virus, whereas the mAbs 12AD10.1.1, 12BD7.1.1 and 12DG7.1.1 showed higher reactivity with extracellular virus (hereafter referred to as cell-free (CF) virus). The mAbs 12BF8.1.1 and 12AD10.1.1 could detect the virus in infected Vero cell culture supernatants (CCS) as early as 24 h post-cytopathic effect (CPE) initiation. Detergent treatment (Triton X-100) of RPV preparations enhanced the binding of the mAbs to the virus. All the seven mAbs showed specific fluorescence in virus-infected cell cultures. The immunofluorescence (IFA) using mAbs was found to be more sensitive and reliable than the immunoperoxidase test (IPT) for detection of rinderpest.     

小反刍兽疫病毒RT-LAMP检测方法的建立

利用逆转录环介导等温核酸扩增技术(RT-LAMP)建立了小反刍兽疫病毒快速检测方法,同时评价了该方法的灵敏性和特异性。结果表明,根据小反刍兽疫病毒N基因保守区域设计的LAMP引物能够在63℃恒温下,1小时内实现目的核酸的大量扩增,由于在检测前加入荧光指示试剂,检测结果可以直接用肉眼判断,避免了由于开盖检验带来的扩增产物污染导致的假阳性。该检测体系具有较高的特异性,只能特异性地检测目的病毒,与其他同属的病毒或类似病毒等无交叉反应;具有较高的检测灵敏度,比普通RT-PCR灵敏性高10倍,与荧光RT-PCR的灵敏度相当。     

Cell-mediated immunity and age at vaccination associated with measles inoculation and protection of dogs against canine distemper.

The antibody-mediated immune response (AMIR) of dogs to measles and canine distemper viruses has been described. However, there is little information on the cell-mediated immune response (CMIR). The AMIR and the CMIR of dogs to canine distemper and to measles were examined. The CMIR was determined for 6 weeks by measuring the 3H-thymidine uptake by immune lymphocytes in the lymphocyte transformation test. Concurrently, canine distemper and measles virus serum-neutralization antibodies were measured by a microtitration serum-neutralization test. Dogs vaccinated with canine distemper virus had a CMIR and an AMIR to canine distemper. However, measles virus-vaccinated dogs had only a CMIR to canine distemper. A CMIR in the absence of an AMIR indicates that cell-mediated immunity is the most important immune mechanism in protecting measles virus-vaccinated dogs against canine distemper. Development of CMIR and AMIR to canine distemper and measles antigens depended on the age of the dog at the time of vaccination. Adult and juvenile dogs had immune responses to both canine distemper and measles. Neither virus, however, elicited an immune response in neonates.     

Characterisation of the European seal morbillivirus

The ELISA test originally developed for the detection of serum antibodies to rinderpest virus has been shown to detect cross-reacting antibodies in sera of diseased common and grey seals. Analysis of sera collected from various seal populations is in progress to establish the correlation between different morbillivirus neutralisation tests, ELISA tests and the disease status of the animals. RNA purified from post-mortem tissues removed from diseased seals has been analysed by hybridisation with cloned cDNAs made to various genes of canine distemper, peste des petits ruminants, rinderpest and measles viruses. This study has confirmed the presence of RNA sequences characteristic of a morbillivirus, but shown that the virus is not identical with any known morbillivirus. Work is in progress to determine the nucleotide sequences of clones carrying inserts homologous to morbillivirus genes isolated from cDNA made on a template of infected seal tissue RNA.     

Antigenic characterisation of virus isolates from vaccinated dogs dying of rabies

Four rabies virus isolates from dogs that succumbed to rabies infection in Nigeria within one year of anti-rabies vaccination were characterised by monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). The samples were screened for rabies and rabies-related viral antigens by the indirect fluorescent antibody test, performed with MAb 502-2, which recognises the nucleocapsid (NC) protein of all known Lyssaviruses and with MAb 422-5 which identifies African rabies-related viruses. All four canine virus isolates displayed positive fluorescence with MAb 502-2 and were negative with MAb 422-5. In the anti-NC MAb characterisation with a panel of 34 additional MAbs, all isolates displayed positive staining with 32 of the MAbs, were negative with MAb 102-27 and all displayed poor immunofluorescence with MAb 377-7. On the basis of reactivity with a panel of 40 anti-glycoprotein (G) MAbs the isolates were separated into four distinct viral subtypes. None of these canine isolates was identified as the common attenuated Flury LEP rabies strain used for domestic animal vaccination and none resembled other previously characterised rabies viruses from Nigeria.     

蓝舌病病毒重组VP7蛋白单克隆抗体制备及竞争ELISA检测方法的建立

为了建立蓝舌病(BT)的血清学诊断方法,本研究利用原核表达的蓝舌病病毒(BTV)血清型12型VP7纯化蛋白免疫BALB/c小鼠,制备2株单克隆抗体(MAb),分别命名为BTV-2D10和BTV-4H7。IFA试验表明,2株MAb均能与BTV 24个血清型发生特异性反应,而与茨城病病毒(IBAV)、中山病病毒(CV)、赤羽病病毒(AKAV)、牛病毒性腹泻病毒(BVDV)、牛传染性鼻气管炎病毒(IBRV)、牛轮状病毒(BRV)、牛肠道病毒(BEV)、牛呼肠孤病毒(RV)及口蹄疫病毒(FMDV)无交叉反应,表明2株MAb均为BTV群特异性抗体。采用重组表达的VP7蛋白作为包被抗原建立的竞争ELISA方法证明,BTV-4H7 MAb对不同血清型BTV阳性血清具有良好的阻断效果,而对AKAV、IBAV、BRV和FMDV阳性血清无阻断作用。本研究建立的竞争ELISA方法与IDEXX公司的试剂盒检测包括65份已知背景血清和322份采自广西省的山羊血清样品,检测结果符合率分别达100%和98%。该竞争ELISA方法的建立为BTV抗体的监测提供了安全、快速、准确的技术手段。     

Identification of the cross-reactive antigens between Marek's disease virus and pseudorabies virus by monoclonal antibodies

Among the 33 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against pseudorabies virus (PRV) examined, three MAbs (24-17, 74-26, and 8) were found to react with cells infected with Marek's disease virus (MDV)-related viruses by immunofluorescence test. Two of the MAbs (24-17 and 74-26) reacted with the nuclei of cells infected with MDV serotype 1 (MDV1), MDV serotype 2 (MDV2), and herpesvirus of turkeys (HVT), whereas MAb 8 reacted with the cytoplasm of MDV2- and HVT-infected cells. However, none of the MAbs against MDV1, MDV2, and HVT that were examined reacted with PRV-infected cells. None of these three MAbs against PRV reactive with MDV-related viruses cross-reacted with the cells infected with other herpesviruses, such as herpes simplex virus type 1, herpes simplex virus type 2, varicella zoster virus, Epstein-Barr virus, or human herpesvirus 6. Southern-blot hybridization under stringent or less-stringent conditions showed that no significant DNA homology was detected between PRV DNA and MDV DNA.     

抗犬瘟热病毒重组核衣壳蛋白单克隆抗体的制备及鉴定

以纯化的重组犬瘟热病毒(CDV)N蛋白免疫BALB/c小鼠,应用常规杂交瘤技术获得两株能稳定分泌特异性单克隆抗体的杂交瘤细胞系,分别命名为A_4C_6C_(12)和A_5B_8H_7。间接ELISA检测腹水效价分别为1:10~6、1:10~5;亚类鉴定结果分别为IgG2a、IgG2b,轻链均为κ型;Western blot和ELISA分析结果显示2株单克隆抗体均能与重组N蛋白和CDV发生反应,而与犬细小病毒及犬腺病毒等无交叉反应;ELISA叠加试验的增值结果表明两株单克隆抗体识别的抗原位点不同。特异性抗CDV-rN的单克隆抗体的获得,为进一步用于临床诊断研究奠定了基础。