Stability of canine distemper virus (CDV) after 20 passages in Vero-DST cells expressing the receptor protein for CDV

Isolates 007Lm, S124C and Ac96I and a Vero cell-adapted Onderstepoort strain of canine distemper viruses (CDV) were examined for stability after passages in Vero cells expressing the canine signaling lymphocyte activation molecule (dogSLAM, the intrinsic receptor to CDV). These viruses passage once in Vero cells expressing dogSLAM (Vero-DST) cells (original) and after 20 passages (20p) were compared by using sequence analyses and growth characteristics. All four strains of 20p grew well and were slightly better than their originals. The 20p viruses developed a cytopathic effect slightly lower than the original strains. A few changes in amino acids in the H gene were between the 20p and the original viruses, but the sites of changes were not specific. Fragments of P, M and L genes of all strains showed no nucleotide changes after the passages. These results showed that: (1) passages of CDVs in Vero-DST cells induced amino acid changes only in the H gene, not in the P, M and L genes, unlike in a previous study with Vero cells; (2) passages did not markedly affect the growth characteristics of every viral strain. These results indicate that Vero cells expressing canine SLAM allow the isolation and passaging of CDV without major changes in viral genes.     

表达犬瘟热病毒H基因重组新城疫病毒的构建及其免疫原性研究

为研制安全、有效的新型犬瘟热疫苗,本研究利用新城疫病毒(NDV) LaSota弱毒疫苗株反向遗传操作系统,构建出表达犬瘟热病毒(CDV)弱毒疫苗株Rockborn-20/8血凝素(H)蛋白的重组病毒rLa-CDV-H,并对其生物学特性进行鉴定,评估其作为犬瘟热活载体疫苗的安全性和有效性.通过免疫荧光和western blot试验证明了CDV H蛋白的正确表达;重组病毒株保持了LaSota亲本株的低致病性和高滴度鸡胚生长特性;重组病毒rLa-CDV-H接种12周龄比格犬后,可以诱导显著的CDV中和抗体反应.本研究表明重组病毒rLa-CDV-H具有作为犬瘟热重组病毒活载体疫苗的潜力.     

Propagation of Asian isolates of canine distemper virus (CDV) in hamster cell lines

Backgrounds

The aim of this study was to confirm the propagation of various canine distemper viruses (CDV) in hamster cell lines of HmLu and BHK, since only a little is known about the possibility of propagation of CDV in rodent cells irrespective of their epidemiological importance.

Methods

The growth of CDV in hamster cell lines was monitored by titration using Vero.dogSLAMtag (Vero-DST) cells that had been proven to be susceptible to almost all field isolates of CDV, with the preparations of cell-free and cell-associated virus from the cultures infected with recent Asian isolates of CDV (13 strains) and by observing the development of cytopathic effect (CPE) in infected cultures of hamster cell lines.

Results

Eleven of 13 strains grew in HmLu cells, and 12 of 13 strains grew in BHK cells with apparent CPE of cell fusion in the late stage of infection. Two strains and a strain of Asia 1 group could not grow in HmLu cells and BHK cells, respectively.

Conclusion

The present study demonstrates at the first time that hamster cell lines can propagate the majority of Asian field isolates of CDV. The usage of two hamster cell lines suggested to be useful to characterize the field isolates biologically.     

靶向H、N基因siRNA对犬瘟热病毒在vero细胞中复制的抑制作用

以犬瘟热病毒(CDV)的核衣壳蛋白基因(N基因)和血凝素蛋白基因(H基因)作为靶基因,各设计并体外合成小干扰RNA,分别为N1、N2、N3和H1、H2、H3。将6对siRNA分别转染非洲绿猴肾细胞(Vero)并在转染后接种CDV,48h后通过细胞病变(CPE)、间接免疫荧光、TCID50、荧光定量PCR等方法对2组6个siRNA抑制CDV在Vero细胞中增殖的效果进行比较研究。结果显示,转染细胞感染CDV 48h后,6个siRNAs干扰组细胞出现的绿色荧光明显少于对照组,病毒感染滴度分别是对照组的1/293、1/11、1/29、1/83、1/302和1/90,6个干扰组的CDV基因拷贝数分别是对照组的12.96%、57.75%、23.47%、31.82%、12.82%、15.58%。结果表明,6对siRNAs均对CDV在Vero细胞中的复制具有不同程度的抑制作用,且以H2组抑制效率最高。     

Antiviral efficacy of EICAR against canine distemper virus (CDV) in vitro

Canine distemper virus (CDV) is a highly contagious pathogen of carnivores. In dogs, the disease is characterized by high lethality rates and no specific antiviral therapy is available. The aim of this study was to verify the in vitro antiviral activity of the 5-ethynyl-1-β-d-ribofuranosylimidazole-4-carboxamide (EICAR) and to compare it with the 1-(β-d-ribofuranosyl)-1,2,4-triazole-3-carboxamide (ribavirin, RBV).EICAR was more active than RBV against CDV replication, while both molecules exhibited low selectivity indexes. A reversal of their antiviral activity was observed after addition of guanosine, suggesting their involvement in the inhibition of the inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase enzyme (IMPDH). RBV and EICAR had a time- and concentration-dependent anti-CDV activity, mainly displayed during the first 10 h post-infection. The involvement of the inhibition of the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (vRdRp) is discussed, as well as the role of CDV as a model to study more potent and selective antiviral molecules active against other Paramyxoviridae.     

Genotyping canine distemper virus (CDV) by a hemi-nested multiplex PCR provides a rapid approach for investigation of CDV outbreaks

CDV is a highly contagious viral pathogen causing a lethal systemic disease in dogs and other carnivores. Several lineages or genotypes of CDV exist that are variously distributed throughout several continents. Legal or uncontrolled trading of animals may modify the epidemiology of CDV, introducing novel strains in CDV-na?ve areas or accounting for the resurgence of CDV in areas where vaccine prophylaxis was effective and successful to control the disease. A hemi-nested PCR system was developed to genotype strains of the major CDV lineages, America-1, Europe, Asia-1, Asia-2 and Arctic. The assay was tested using a collection of 27 laboratory and vaccine strains and of 36 field CDV strains. Distinct lineages could be differentiated by specific primers targeted to the H gene. The method could be useful for molecular epidemiological studies of CDV, providing a tool for large-scale studies, and for the diagnosis of vaccine-related disease.     

Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte activity specific for hemagglutinin (H) protein of canine distemper virus in dogs

Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses to hemagglutinin (H) protein of canine distemper virus (CDV) were evaluated in dogs using the replication-deficient adenovirus protein expression system. Skin fibroblasts were isolated from two dogs and were infected with recombinant adenovirus bearing the CDV-H gene (Ade-CDVH). CTL assay was performed using fibroblasts expressing CDV-H protein as target cells and peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) collected from the same dogs one week after immunization of CDV as effector cells. Specific cytotoxic activity was observed against autologous but not heterologous fibroblasts expressing CDV-H protein. These results indicate that the CTL epitope(s) were localized in the H protein.     

Genetic diversity of Hungarian canine distemper virus strains

To achieve proper diagnosis of dogs based on acute clinical symptoms and poorly preserved field samples taken from animals that died due to canine distemper (CD), a new differential diagnostic test has been developed based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In this study, more than 150 samples collected from dogs showing respiratory, gastrointestinal and neurological signs suggesting canine distemper virus (CDV) infection were examined. The samples consisted of urine, blood and nasal swabs collected from clinically ill patients, sent to our laboratory by clinicians from various veterinary clinics throughout Hungary. Various organs collected during the necropsy of dogs with pathological changes that suggested CDV infection were also included. Three distinct PCRs were designed. For diagnostic purposes, a primer pair specific to a 409 bases-long segment within the conservative part of the large polymerase region (L) of the CDV genome was designed. Using this test, out of the 150 analyzed samples, 46 (30.66%) proved to be positive for CDV, indicating that CDV still represents a high risk to the canine population in Hungary. For the phylogenetical analysis, a primer pair that completely encompasses the hemagglutinin (H) gene of the CDV genome was designed. The amplicons of this region were sequenced in both directions using the appropriate primers. Our results indicate that several different CDV genotypes are currently present in Hungary. Nine of the analyzed Hungarian strains turned out to belong to the so-called Arctic group of CDVs, and were most closely related to non-European strains from North America, China and Greenland, as well as to the phocine distemper virus 2 (PDV-2) isolated from Baikal seals (Phoca sibirica). One of the Hungarian strains showed high similarity to other European isolates from Denmark, Germany, Italy and Turkey, as well as to other isolates from geographically more distant regions, such as the USA. Three Hungarian strains seem to join a new cluster that is formed by only a couple of strains, one isolated from a mink in Denmark, and another from a dog in North America. Using a third set of primers, a restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assay has also been designed for the fast and reliable differentiation of the wild-type CDVs from the vaccine strains.     

Prevalence of positive antibody test results for canine parvovirus (CPV) and canine distemper virus (CDV) and response to modified live vaccination against CPV and CDV in dogs entering animal shelters

Canine parvovirus (CPV) and canine distemper virus (CDV) infections are relatively common in animal shelters and are important population management issues since the immune status of incoming dogs is usually unknown. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of positive antibody test results for CPV and CDV in incoming dogs aged ≥ 4 months and to measure antibody response over 2 weeks following vaccination with a modified live vaccine (MLV). Dogs aged 4-24 months entering an adoption-guarantee shelter (Shelter 1, n=51) and aged ≥ 4 months entering a limited admission shelter (Shelter 2; n=51) were enrolled. Dogs from Shelter 1 had been vaccinated with MLV at a municipal shelter 5 days before enrollment, whereas dogs from Shelter 2 had no known history of vaccination at enrollment. Sera were obtained on day 1, immediately prior to CPV/CDV MLV, and tested using an in-clinic ELISA kit to detect CPV/CDV antibodies. Dogs negative for CPV and/or CDV were retested at day 6-8 and those dogs still negative at day 6-8 were retested at day 13-15. Prior to CPV/CDV MLV on day 1, more dogs tested positive for CPV (Shelter 1 - 68.6%; Shelter 2 - 84.3%) than for CDV (Shelter 1 - 37.3%; Shelter 2 - 41.2%). On day 1, prior to MLV, all spayed/neutered animals tested CPV antibody-positive (n=17/102) and CPV antibody-positive dogs were older than serologically negative dogs (Shelter 1, P=0.0029; Shelter 2, P=0.0042). By day 13-15, almost all dogs were CPV antibody-positive (Shelter 1 - 97.9%; Shelter 2 - 100.0%) and CDV antibody-positive (Shelter 1 - 93.8%; Shelter 2 - 97.8%). MLV induces protective antibody titers against CPV/CDV in almost all dogs after 13-15 days.     

A comparison of the immune responses of dogs exposed to canine distemper virus (CDV) - Differences between vaccinated and wild-type virus exposed dogs

Canine distemper virus (CDV)-specific immune response was measured in different dog populations. Three groups of vaccinated or wild-type virus exposed dogs were tested: dogs with a known vaccination history, dogs without a known vaccination history (shelter dogs), and dogs with potential exposure to wild-type CDV. The use of a T-cell proliferation assay demonstrated a detectable CDV-specific T-cell response from both spleen and blood lymphocytes of dogs. Qualitatively, antibody assays [enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and neutralization assay] predicted the presence of a T-cell response well, although quantitatively neither antibody assays nor the T-cell assay correlated well with each other. An interesting finding from our study was that half of the dogs in shelters were not vaccinated (potentially posing a public veterinary health problem) and that antibody levels in dogs living in an environment with endemic CDV were lower than in vaccinated animals.     

犬瘟热病毒融合蛋白、血凝蛋白、基质蛋白和核衣壳蛋白基因DNA联合免疫的研究

为研究犬瘟热病毒(CDV)融合蛋白(F)、血凝蛋白(H)、基质膜蛋白(M)和核衣壳蛋白(N)基因核酸联合免疫的效力,本研究分别构建了表达经哺乳动物密码子优化的CDV F、H、M和N蛋白基因的真核重组表达质粒p CAGG-CDVF、p CAGG-CDVH、p CAGG-CDVM和p CAGG-CDVN;将其分别转染BHK-21细胞后通过间接免疫荧光试验表明,目的蛋白均获得正确表达。此外,将等量混合的重组质粒p CAGG-CDVF、p CAGG-CDVH、p CAGG-CDVM(3组份DNA疫苗)或重组质粒p CAGG-CDVF、p CAGG-CDVH、p CAGG-CDVM、p CAGG-CDVN(4组份DNA疫苗),分别以500μg/只经肌肉注射途径免疫A组(6只)或B组(6只)比格犬,间隔4周以相同剂量、途径加强免疫一次,并于初次免疫前、后不同时间检测血清CDV中和抗体。中和试验结果显示,A组和B组免疫犬,二免4周时,CDV中和抗体滴度平均值达到峰值,分别为6 log2和5.64 log2;在初免54周时,CDV中和抗体滴度均仍然维持5 log2。因此,3组份DNA疫苗为具有良好应用前景的犬瘟热候选疫苗。     

犬瘟热病毒弱毒和野毒的全基因组扩增及序列测定

分析比对了GenBank中已公布的23株犬瘟热病毒全基因组序列,针对保守区设计了11对特异性通用引物,用于扩增犬瘟热病毒野毒株和疫苗株全基因组。通过优化11对引物的工作浓度及退火温度等条件,对保存的3株疫苗毒CDV3株、OR12株、CDV/R-20/8株和2株野毒HBF-1株和SD(14)07株进行了全基因组扩增。取5μL扩增产物进行1%琼脂糖凝胶电泳,结果显示11对通用引物对以上5株犬瘟热病毒扩增后,均获得11个特异性目的片段,条带大小与预期相符。选取疫苗毒OR12株和野毒HBF-1株的进行全基因组序列测定,与GenBank中已公布的序列进行比对,同源性均大于99.0%,证实这11对特异性通用引物能够实现对犬瘟热病毒野毒和弱毒全基因组的准确扩增,并获得准确的全基因组序列。     

Phylogenetic analysis of the haemagglutinin gene of canine distemper virus strains detected from breeding foxes,raccoon dogs and minks in China

Canine distemper virus (CDV) infects a variety of carnivores, including wild and domestic Canidae. Genetic/antigenic heterogeneity has been observed among the various CDV strains, notably in the haemagglutinin (H) gene, that appears as a good target to gather epidemiological information. Based on sequence analysis of the H gene, wild-type CDV strains cluster into distinct geographic lineages (genotypes), irrespective of the species of isolation. The sequence of the H gene of 28 CDV strains detected from both vaccinated and non-vaccinated breeding foxes, raccoon dogs and minks from different geographical areas of China during the years 2004–2008 was determined. All the CDV strains but two (strains HL and HLJ2) were characterized as Asia-1 genotype and were highly similar to each other (96.2–99.7% at the amino acid [aa] level) and to other Asia-1 strains (96.1–99.5% aa) previously detected in China. The CDV strains HL and HLJ2 were both collected from foxes in Heilongjiang province in 2005. Strain HL resembled CDVs of the Arctic genotype (GR88-like) and displayed high aa identity (98.0%) to the Chinese canine strain Liu. By converse, strain HLJ2 was barely related to CDVs of the Asia-2 genotype (88.7–90.3% aa identity), and could represent a novel CDV genotype, tentatively proposed as Asia-3. These results suggest that at least three different CDV genotypes, distantly related (81.8–91.6% aa identity) to the vaccine strains, Onderstepoort-like (America-1 genotype), are currently circulating in breeding foxes, raccoon dogs and minks in China, and that the genotype Asia-1 is predominant. Whether the diversity between wild-type CDVs and the vaccine strains may affect, to some extent, the efficacy of the vaccines deserves further investigations.     

Immunohistochemical analysis of two strains of lion (Panthera leo)-adapted canine distemper virus in ferrets (Mustela putorius furo)

Canine distemper virus (CDV) caused epizootics in lions (Panthera leo) in Tanzania's Serengeti National Park in 1994 and in captive lions and other Panthera spp. in the USA in 1991-1992. In this study, immunohistochemistry was used to compare viral distribution in tissues collected from ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) inoculated with one of the two lion-derived CDV isolates, either from Serengeti (A94-11/13) or from California (A92-27/20). The California isolate resulted in severe morbidity in all nine ferrets, whereas the Serengeti isolate resulted in severe morbidity in five of the nine ferrets. A slightly higher proportion of infected cells was found in many tissues in the Serengeti isolate-inoculated ferrets. These findings indicate that the pathogenicity of the California isolate is not directly related to the number of infected cells.     

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.     

犬瘟热病毒R／20-8株核衣壳蛋白基因的克隆和表达

应用RT-PCR技术扩增出犬瘟热病毒（CDV）核衣壳（N）蛋白基因的高度保守序列，将其克隆至质粒pMD18-T中，获得了重组质粒pMD18-T-N。将N基因的目的片段克隆到表达载体pGEX-4T-1中谷胱甘肽转移酶（GST）基因的下游，并将该重组质粒转化大肠杆菌BL21株，经IPTG诱导，N基因融合蛋白获得了高效表达。SDS-PAGE电泳和Western—blot分析结果显示，表达产物的分子质量为55ku，与CDV标准阳性血清呈阳性反应。表明，大肠杆菌表达的CDVN蛋白在免疫原性上与天然N蛋白具有一定的相似性，可作为诊断用抗原。     

犬瘟热病毒的静水压灭活

以250MPa的静水压力对犬瘟热病毒（CDV）处理30min之后，CDV被灭活，由其制成的灭活疫苗诱导犬产生中和抗体的能力明显优于传统的福尔马林灭活疫苗，免疫保护率达90％。电镜观察显示，经不同程度静水压力处理后的CDV粒子均发生变形，表面呈现凸起，但CDV H基因部分片段的RT－PCR扩增结果揭示，高达510MPa的静水压力作用30min也未能使其基因片段受到破坏。     

Non-cytocidal infection of keratinocytes by canine distemper virus in the so-called hard pad disease of canine distemper

A late, but not uncommon sequel to canine distemper virus (CDV) infection of dogs is thickening of footpads and nasal planum, the so-called hard pad disease, originally described as vacuolar degeneration of epidermal keratinocytes with inclusion body formation and massive hyperkeratosis. However, in a recent study of footpads of naturally CDV-infected dogs only hyperkeratosis was observed without any of the other changes. Instead, acanthosis was frequently noticed. CDV nucleoprotein was present in the suprabasal keratinocytes and eccrine epithelial glands only. No CDV nucleoprotein was present in basal keratinocytes. This observation in combination with lack of obvious cytocidal changes strongly suggested the possibility of a restricted viral infection with presence of viral mRNA but without protein expression. Therefore, the presence of CDV nucleoprotein mRNA was investigated using in situ hybridization and compared to the localization of the nucleoprotein in footpads of clinically healthy and distemper dogs. Viral nucleoprotein and nucleoprotein mRNA in nearly all cases co-localized to the same compartments and basal keratinocytes did not contain nucleoprotein mRNA. These findings dispute the idea of a restricted viral infection of footpad keratinocytes in dogs with natural CDV infection. Instead, a migration of the virus to the epidermal surface along with the proliferating and differentiating epithelium is the most likely explanation for the lack of virus antigen in basal keratinocytes.     

Immunohistochemical demonstration of canine distemper virus antigen as an aid in the diagnosis of canine distemper encephalomyelitis

Brain tissue from 33 dogs with non-suppurative encephalitis was examined for evidence of canine distemper virus (CDV) encephalitis. Sections were examined for lesions, inclusion bodies, syncytial cells and CDV antigen using a double bridge unlabelled antibody enzyme technique. Histopathological lesions considered to be typical of granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis were found in seven dogs. They all lacked inclusion bodies, syncytial cells and CDV antigen. The remaining 26 dogs all had histopathological lesions typical of CDV encephalitis. Inclusion bodies were found in 24 dogs, four of which also had syncytial cells and CDV antigen was detected immunocytochemically in 25. One dog had no inclusion bodies or syncytial cells and was immunohistochemically negative. Syncytial cells have been found to be of limited diagnostic value for the diagnosis of CDV encephalitis. While inclusion bodies proved to be a good diagnostic criterion for the confirmation of CDV infection, the immunohistochemical demonstration of CDV antigen proved to be superior. CDV antigen was more prevalent than inclusion bodies in tissue sections and much more easily detectable.