Development of a DNA vaccine against chicken anemia virus by using a bicistronic vector expressing VP1 and VP2 proteins of CAV

In the present study, we describe the development of a DNA vaccine against chicken anemia virus. The VP1 and VP2 genes of CAV were amplified and cloned into pBudCE4.1 to construct two DNA vaccines, namely, pBudVP1 and pBudVP2-VP1. In vitro and in vivo studies showed that co-expression of VP1 with VP2 are required to induce significant levels of antibody against CAV. Subsequently, the vaccines were tested in 2-week-old SPF chickens. Chickens immunized with the DNA-plasmid pBudVP2-VP1 showed positive neutralizing antibody titer against CAV. Furthermore, VP1-specific proliferation induction of splenocytes and also high serum levels of Th1 cytokines, IL-2 and IFN-γ were detected in the pBudVP2-VP1-vaccinated chickens. These results suggest that the recombinant DNA plasmid co-expressing VP1 and VP2 can be used as a potential DNA vaccine against CAV.     

鸡贫血病病毒VP_2基因在大肠杆菌中的表达及其特性

将鸡贫血病病毒 (chicken anaem ia virus,CAV) VP2 基因克隆入表达性载体 p GEX- 5 X- 3,在大肠杆菌以谷胱甘肽转移酶 (GST)融合蛋白的形式获得了表达。以此表达产物免疫小鼠 ,制备抗 CAV VP2 的多克隆抗体。通过对 CAV感染的 MSB1细胞作间接免疫荧光试验 (IFA)检测 ,结果为阳性 ,这表明表达产物保留了 CAV相关的抗原特性。本研究为进一步探索 CAV VP2 的生物学特性奠定了基础。     

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.     

鸡贫血病毒衣壳蛋白VP1基因的克隆、原核表达和纯化

根据GenBank中CAV哈尔滨分离株基因序列,设计出针对CAV VP1大片段(608 bp)的引物,利用PCR方法从CAV基因组序列中扩增出VP1基因的大片段(608 bp),按照正确的读码框克隆到原核表达载体pET32a( )上,得到含VP1大片段的pET32a( )重组子,转化大肠埃希菌BL21(DE3)感受态细胞,IPTG诱导重组蛋白表达,经SDS-PAGE和Western blotting检测发现有分子质量约42 ku的融合蛋白表达,与预期分子质量大小一致,通过Ni亲和层析柱纯化出融合蛋白,经Western blotting鉴定,融合蛋白与His单抗能够结合.CAV VP1基因的克隆表达及其融合蛋白的纯化为后续制备多克隆抗体和单克隆抗体提供了良好的抗原来源,也为研究VP1与其他CAV蛋白之间的相互关系奠定了基础.     

鸡贫血病毒细胞凋亡素基因的原核表达及其免疫学活性

将鸡贫血病毒 (CAV)细胞凋亡素基因克隆入表达性载体 p GEX- 5 X- 3,在大肠杆菌中以融合蛋白的形式获得表达。再以表达产物免疫小鼠 ,制备抗 CAV凋亡素的多克隆抗体。以其对 CAV感染的 MSB1细胞作间接免疫荧光试验(IFA)检测呈阳性 ,表明表达产物保留了其相关的天然抗原特性。     

Egg yolk IgY against RHDV capsid protein VP60 promotes rabbit defense against RHDV infection

VP60 capsid protein is the major structural and immunogenicity protein of RHDV (Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus, RHDV), and has been implicated as a main protein antigen in RHDV diagnosis and vaccine design. In this report, egg yolk antibody (IgY) against N-terminal of VP60 was evaluated and developed as a new strategy for RHDV therapy. Briefly, N-terminal of VP60 (～250aa) fragment was cloned and inserted into pET28a expression vector, and then the resultant plasmid, pET28a/VP60-N, was transformed into E. coli BL21(DE3) for recombinant VP60-N protein (rVP60-N) expression. Next, the rVP60-N was purified by Ni⁺-affinity purification chromatography and identified by Western blotting with RHDV antiserum. After immunizing the chickens with rVP60-N, the anti-rVP60-N IgY was isolated, and the activity and specificity of the IgY antibody were analyzed by ELISA and Western blotting. In our results, the rVP60-N could be expressed in E. coli as soluble fraction, and the isolated anti-rVP60-N IgY demonstrated a high specificity and titer (1:22,000) against rVP60-N antigen. For further evaluation of the IgY efficacy in vivo, rabbits were grouped randomly and challenged with RHDV, and the results showed that anti-rVP60-N IgY could significantly protect rabbits from virus infection and promote the host survival after a sustained treatment with anti-rVP60-N IgY for 5 days. Taken together, our study demonstrates evidence that production of IgY against VP60 could be as a novel strategy for the RHDV therapy.     

鸡传染性贫血病毒VP2基因的克隆和原核表达

从组织病料中提取到的鸡贫血病毒核酸经PCR扩增得到vp2基因,并将其克隆到表达载体pET32a上,重组菌经IPTG诱导,SDS-PAGE分析,结果VP2基因在大肠杆菌中成功表达。以表达产物免疫小鼠4次,制备了抗CAVVP2的多克隆抗体。通过对CAV感染的MSB1细胞做间接免疫荧光试验(IFA),结果为阳性。这表明表达产物保留了CAV相关的抗原性。为进一步研究CIA临床诊断奠定了基础。     

Biological characteristics of chicken anemia virus regenerated from clinical specimen by PCR

Our previous genetic characterization of chicken anemia virus (CAV) in commercial broiler chickens in Alabama revealed a previously undetected polymorphism: a glutamine codon at VP1 position 22, in 7 of the 14 sequences. The novel glutamine codon was always found in association with a VP1 "hypervariable region" identical to CAV field isolates that replicate poorly in culture. The complete genome of CAV73, representative of the sequences with the novel polymorphism, was generated from cloned polymerase chain reaction (PCR) fragments amplified directly from naturally infected tissues. CAV73 had been detected in 31-day-old broilers submitted for examination for reasons unrelated to anemia. After electroporation of the cloned genomes into MDCC-CU147 lymphoblastoid cells, the regenerated CAV caused the culture to fail within 9 days, and the medium contained 5 X 10(6) TCID50 CAV/ml. Use of MDCC-CU147 cells was essential, as identical electroporation of MDCC-MSB1 cells failed to generate CAV able to destroy the culture within 8 wk. Regenerated CAV73 produced anemia and severe lymphocytic depletion of the thymus when inoculated into susceptible 3-day-old chickens and was reisolated from these chickens. Furthermore, it replicated in low- and high-passage MDCC-MSB1 cells similarly to a low-passage CAV field isolate that contains a different VP 1 "hypervariable region." The regeneration of CAV from PCR products directly from naturally infected carcasses, as performed in this study, provides a tool for the evaluation of distinct genetic polymorphisms that may be detected in specimens where infective virions are no longer available. Our results also provide some insight into the differential susceptibility of cell lines for low-passage CAV field isolates.     

鸡传染性贫血病毒VP2蛋白单克隆抗体的研制及其识别抗原表位的鉴定

拟制备针对鸡传染性贫血病毒(CIAV) VP2蛋白的单克隆抗体(mAb),为CIAV的诊断和病毒生物学特性研究提供有用制剂.以PCR技术扩增CIAV VP2基因并克隆到原核表达载体pET-32a中,经IPTG诱导表达.以原核表达的融合蛋白免疫BALB/c小鼠,利用杂交瘤技术研制并筛选分泌抗CIAV VP2蛋白mAb的阳...     

Molecular epidemiology of chicken anemia virus (CAV) in southeastern Chinese live birds markets

Between January 2004 and December 2005, cloacal swabs from essentially healthy chickens and silky chickens from live birds markets in Guangdong and Hunan provinces in southeastern China were screened for chicken anemia virus (CAV) by polymerase chain reaction. Phylogenetic analysis of the major structural protein VP1 sequences showed no clear genotype cluster and no correlation with the geographic origin of CAV strains. Virus evolution at the amino acid level was very slow, which corresponds to a strong negative selection of the VP1 gene in China and worldwide. A high proportion (87%) of birds was CAV positive, suggesting that many farms in the region were infected. Further investigations are necessary to evaluate the economic losses caused by CAV and the cost-benefit of vaccination.     

基因分析实现CAV VP1基因在大肠杆菌中的高效表达

通过分子生物学软件DNASTAR对CAV VP1的基因分析发现,CAV VP1基因的5端非抗原区编码蛋白的密码子中存在连续的大肠杆菌稀有密码子。为了在大肠杆菌中高效表达CAV VP1,文章研究扩增了不含5’端稀有密码子的CAV VP1基因,并将其插入原核表达载体pGEX-4T-1,构建了重组表达载体pGEX-VP1,成功进行了高效表达。电泳条带分析表明,融合蛋白的表达量在44%左右,为研究CAV VP1的抗原性提供了丰富的来源。     

Molecular characterization of chicken anemia virus in Guangxi Province,southern China,from 2018 to 2020

BackgroundChicken anemia virus (CAV) causes chicken infectious anemia, which results in immunosuppression; the virus has spread widely in chicken flocks in China.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to understand recent CAV genetic evolution in chicken flocks in Guangxi Province, southern China.MethodsIn total, 350 liver samples were collected from eight commercial broiler chicken farms in Guangxi Province in southern China from 2018 to 2020. CAV was detected by conventional PCR, and twenty CAV complete genomes were amplified and used for the phylogenetic analysis and recombination analysis.ResultsThe overall CAV-positive rate was 17.1%. The genetic analysis revealed that 84 CAVs were distributed in groups A, B, C (subgroups C1-C3) and D. In total, 30 of 47 Chinese CAV sequences from 2005-2020 belong to subgroup C3, including 15 CAVs from this study. There were some specific mutation sites among the intergenotypes in the VP1 protein. The amino acids at position 394Q in the VP1 protein of 20 CAV strains were consistent with the characteristics of a highly pathogenic strain. GX1904B was a putative recombinant.ConclusionsSubgroup C3 was the dominant genotype in Guangxi Province from 2018–2020. The 20 CAV strains in this study might be virulent according to the amino acid residue analysis. These data help improve our understanding of the epidemiological trends of CAV in southern China.     

Biological and molecular characterization of chicken anemia virus isolates from Slovenia

The presence of chicken anemia virus (CAV) in Slovenia was confirmed by inoculation of 1-day-old chickens without antibodies against CAV and isolation of the virus on the Marek's disease chicken cell-MSB1 line and by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Experimental inoculation of 1-day-old chickens resulted in lower hematocrit values, atrophy of the thymus, and atrophy of bone marrow. CAV was confirmed by PCR in the thymus, bone marrow, bursa of Fabricius, liver, spleen, ileocecal tonsils, duodenum, and proventriculus. The nucleotide sequence of the whole viral protein (VP)1 gene was determined by direct sequencing. Alignment of VP1 nucleotide sequences of Slovenian CAV isolates (CAV-69/00, CAV-469/01, and CAV-130/03) showed 99.4% to 99.9% homology. The VP1 nucleotide sequence alignment of Slovenian isolates with 19 other CAV strains demonstrated 94.4% to 99.4% homology. Slovenian isolates shared highest homology with the BD-3 isolate from Bangladesh. Alignment of the deduced VP1 amino acids showed that the Slovenian isolates shared 100% homology and had an amino acid sequence most similar to the BD-3 strain from Bangladesh (99.6%) and were 99.1% similar to the G6 strain from Japan and the L-028 strain from the United States. The Slovenian isolates were least similar (96.6%) to the 82-2 strain from Japan. A phylogeneric analysis on the basis of the alignment of the VP1 amino acids showed that CAV isolates used in the study formed three groups that indicated the possible existence of genetic groups among CAV strains. The CAV isolates were grouped together independent of their geographic origin and pathogenicity.     

Genetic characterization of chicken anemia viruses newly isolated from diseased chicks in Japan in 2020

In this study, a total of nine chicken samples obtained from two broiler flocks in Oita and Tottori prefectures in 2020 were examined for Chicken anemia virus (CAV) infection. The samples were collected from clinically suspected flocks and diseased chickens. The CAV genome was detected in all nine samples tested by real-time PCR. Phylogenetic analyses and sequence comparisons of the full-length VP1 gene sequences indicated that all the Japanese CAV strains obtained in this study formed a similar cluster of genotype III and shared high nucleotide (99.62–100%) identity. The current Japanese CAV strains were closely related to Chinese CAV strains but not related to vaccine strains. One positive selection site of VP1 was detected among the Japanese CAV strains.     

Genetic characterization of chicken anemia virus from commercial broiler chickens in Alabama.

Chicken anemia virus (CAV) isolates show extremely limited genetic variability worldwide. We determined the nucleotide sequence of an 823-nucleotide portion of the 2.3-kb CAV genome found in 10 liver and/or spleen specimens of Alabama 29-to-49-day-old commercial broiler chickens exhibiting lymphocyte depletion of the thymus submitted to the state diagnostic laboratory because of problems unrelated to anemia. We determined the nucleotide sequence directly from DNA isolated from tissues, without isolation of virus in culture. This procedure enabled us to characterize CAV that might not have replicated in culture and avoided the potential for changes during passage. Results confirmed the limited genetic variability of CAV. All sequences were identical in 93% of nucleotide positions. The sequences encoded only two distinct VP1 hypervariable regions, and both had been found previously in other CAV isolates. A novel amino acid, glutamine, was found at VP1 position 22 in half the sequences, replacing the histidine residue encoded by most previously characterized CAV genomes. We were able to distinguish among CAV genomes with different codons at VP1 amino acid 22 and different hypervariable regions by restriction endonuclease analysis of polymerase chain reaction products.     

Detection of chicken anemia virus in the gonads and in the progeny of broiler breeder hens with high neutralizing antibody titers

Previous evidence for the presence of chicken anemia virus (CAV) in the gonads of immune specific-pathogen-free chickens raised the question whether this occurs also in commercial breeders. The presence of CAV was investigated by nested PCR in the gonads and spleens of hens from two 55- and 59-week-old, CAV-vaccinated (flocks 2 and 3), and two 48- and 31-week-old non-vaccinated broiler breeder flocks (flocks 1 and 4). In addition, lymphoid tissues of 20-day-old embryos from these hens were also investigated for the presence of CAV. CAV was detected in the gonads and of 5/6 and 11/22 of the vaccinated hens and in some hens also in the spleen alone. Embryos from 7/8 and 5/18 of these hens were positive. In the non-vaccinated flocks, CAV was detected in the gonads of 11/34 and 10/10 hens in flocks 1 and 4, respectively. In addition, 11 birds in flock 1 had positive spleens. CAV DNA was detected in 3/11 and 2/10 of their embryos. CAV-positive gonads and embryos were detected in samples from hens with moderate as well as high VN antibody titers. Vaccinated chickens positive for CAV in the gonads and in their embryos had VN titers ranging from >1:512 to <1:2048. In non-vaccinated chickens, the VN titers of CAV positive chickens ranged from 1:128 to 1:4096. These results demonstrate that CAV genome can remain present in the gonads of hens in commercial broiler breeder flocks even in the presence of high neutralizing antibody titers that have been associated with protection against CAV vertical transmission. It also suggests that transmission to the progeny may occur irrespectively of the level of the humoral immune response in the hens.     

CAV与REV共感染SPF鸡对疫苗免疫反应的抑制作用

用1日龄SPF鸡人工感染鸡贫血病毒(CAV)和禽网状内皮增生病病毒(REV),探讨病毒感染对鸡体疫苗免疫反应的影响。结果表明,在用禽流感病毒(AIV,H5和H9)疫苗免疫后,CAV与REV单独感染均显著抑制了鸡体对H5和H9亚型禽流感病毒灭活疫苗的HI抗体反应,在CAV与REV共感染后,这种抑制作用更为明显。CAV单独感染后鸡体对新城疫病毒(NDV)和传染性法氏囊病病毒(IBDV)疫苗的免疫反应受到抑制,但与对照组在统计学上的差异不显著,然而,CAV可以显著加重REV感染对鸡体在NDV和IBDV疫苗免疫后抗体反应的抑制作用。从而证实CAV与REV共感染在疫苗免疫抑制上有协同作用。     

传染性法氏囊病病毒VP2单克隆抗体夹心ELISA检测试剂盒的研制

为研制传染性法氏囊病病毒（IBDV）快速检测试剂盒,用重组IBDV-VP2蛋白免疫BALB/c小鼠,制备免疫脾细胞,与SP2/0骨髓瘤细胞触合,获得3株稳定分泌抗VP2蛋白单克隆抗体（mAb）的杂交瘤细胞株,分别命名为1D11、2G8和2E5,抗体亚类分别为IgG1κ、IgG2bκ和IgG1κ。间接免疫荧光试验（IFA）证明,3株单抗均与VP2发生特异性反应。相加ELISA证明3株mAb识别VP2不同的抗原表位。在病毒中和试验中,1D11和2G8腹水对IBDV的中和效价分别为104和103,而2E5无中和活性。用亲和层析方法纯化1D11和2E5,分别作为包被抗体和标记抗体,建立了IBDV夹心ELISA检测方法,优化了试验条件,测定了其主要性能指标,对IBDV的最低检出量为102 TCID50/mL。用夹心ELISA、AGP和RT-PCR 3种方法同步检测8种试验样品,夹心ELISA与RT-PCR的检测结果一致,显著高于AGP方法。组装成的试剂盒,置于37℃保存7d、4℃保存6个月和-20℃保存24个月,其检测结果没有显著差异（P〉0.05）。     

Studies on the pathogenesis of chicken infectious anaemia virus infection in six-week-old SPF chickens

The pathogenesis of chicken infectious anaemia virus (CAV) infection was studied in 6-week-old and one-day-old SPF chickens inoculated intramuscularly with graded doses of Cux-1 strain (10(6)-10(2) TCID50/chicken). Viraemia, virus shedding, development of virus neutralizing (VN) antibodies and CAV distribution in the thymus were studied by virus isolation, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), immunocytochemistry (IP) and in situ hybridization until postinfection day (PID) 28. In 6-week-old chickens infected with high doses of CAV, viraemia and VN antibodies could be detected 4 PID and onward without virus shedding or contact transmission to sentinel birds. However, virus shedding and contact transmission were demonstrated in one-day-old infected chickens. In the 6-week-old groups infected with lower doses, VN antibodies developed by PID 14, transient viraemia and virus shedding were detected. The thymus cortex of all 1-day-old inoculated chickens stained with VP3-specific mAb. Cells with positive in situ hybridization signal were fewer and scattered throughout the thymus tissue of the one-day-old inoculated chickens as compared to IP-positive cells. These results suggest that early immune response induced by high doses of CAV in 6-week-old chickens curtails viral replication and prevents virus shedding.     

Development and comparison of serologic methods for diagnosing chicken anemia virus infection.

This paper describes the development of an indirect immunoperoxidase assay (IIP) and an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detecting antibodies to chicken anemia virus (VAC). The IIP assay developed used CAV-infected MDCC-MSB1 cells for detecting antibody to CAV, whereas the ELISA utilized gradient-purified immunoadsorbed CAV as the target antigen. The IIP and ELISA were compared with the standard indirect immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) assay, which is more conventionally used to screen chicken serum for antibodies against CAV. Comparative test results of 185 field samples of chicken serum by these three methods were in agreement 84% of the time. Both IFA and IIP assays yielded fewer positive tests than did the ELISA. IFA and IIP assays were in agreement 93% of the time, as compared with 91% agreement of IIP and ELISA results, or 84% agreement for comparative IFA and ELISA results.