Development of Improved Mumps Vaccine Candidates by Mutating Viral mRNA Cap Methyltransferase Sites in the Large Polymerase Protein

Virologica Sinica - Although a live attenuated vaccine is available for controlling mumps virus (MuV), mumps still outbreaks frequently worldwide. The attenuated MuV vaccine strain S79 is widely...     

2018-2019年中国流行性腮腺炎流行特征和病毒基因特征分析

阐明中国(未包括香港、澳门特别行政区和台湾地区,下同)2018-2019年流行性腮腺炎(流腮)流行特征和病毒基因特征。对2018-2019年中国流腮流行病学和病毒学监测数据进行描述流行病学和分子流行病学分析。2018-2019年中国流腮年报告发病率分别为18.65/10万和21.48/10万,15岁以下儿童和青少年是我国流腮的高发人群,分别占总病例数的85.30%和82.56%。流腮的流行具有明显的季节性特征。全国各省、自治区、直辖市份均有流腮病例报告,西部和中部地区发病率高于东部地区。2018-2019年共获得160条腮腺炎病毒(Mumps virus,MuV)SH基因序列,其中150条(93.75%)序列鉴定为F基因型MuV,在我国11个省份检测到;10条(6.25%)序列为G基因型MuV,2019年在广东、湖北和新疆3个省份检测到。和我国既往流行MuV代表株相比,2018-2019年流行的F基因型MuV代表株序列在基因亲缘性关系树上相对集中。现阶段我国流腮的流行病学特征未发生明显改变,仍呈现病毒自然流行模式;F基因型作为优势流行基因型,在我国大部分地区持续流行,但毒株的遗传多态性有所降低,这可能和我国实施1剂次腮腺炎疫苗常规免疫策略有关。G基因型MuV主要在我国局部地区流行,但流行范围在逐渐扩大。建议进一步加强两剂次腮腺炎疫苗接种工作,降低我国腮腺炎易感人群。同时持续性开展MuV流行学和病毒学监测工作,为鉴别病毒的来源,确定病毒传播途径和评估腮腺炎疫苗免疫策略奠定重要的基础。     

The F gene of rodent brain-adapted mumps virus is a major determinant of neurovirulence

Prior to the introduction of live-attenuated vaccines, mumps virus (MuV) was the leading cause of virus-induced meningitis. Although vaccination has been effective at controlling the disease, the use of insufficiently attenuated strains has been associated with high rates of aseptic meningitis in vaccinees. The molecular basis of MuV attenuation is poorly understood, and no reliable molecular markers of virulence have been identified. In this study, reverse genetics has been used to identify molecular determinants of MuV neuropathogenesis. Recombinant viruses, containing the envelope-associated genes from the Kilham (MuV(KH)) rodent brain-adapted strain of MuV, were generated in the Jeryl Lynn 5 (MuV(JL5)) vaccine strain background. The syncytium phenotypes of the recombinant viruses on Vero cells differed depending on the source of the fusion (F) and hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) glycoproteins, with heterologous combinations showing either an increase or a decrease in the level of cell fusion compared to that of the homologous parental combinations. This was confirmed by transiently cotransfecting eukaryotic F and HN glycoprotein expression constructs. A Lewis rat model that discriminates between neurovirulent and nonneurovirulent MuV strains based on the extent of hydrocephalus induced in the rat brain after intracerebral inoculation was used to assess the phenotype of the recombinant viruses. Expression of the matrix (M), small hydrophobic (SH), or HN gene in isolation did not confer a neurovirulent phenotype. Expression of the F gene of the neurovirulent strain alone was sufficient to induce significant levels of hydrocephalus. Coexpression of the homologous HN gene led to a marginal increase in the level of hydrocephalus.     

Gene-specific contributions to mumps virus neurovirulence and neuroattenuation

Mumps virus (MuV) is highly neurotropic and was the leading cause of aseptic meningitis in the Western Hemisphere prior to widespread use of live attenuated MuV vaccines. Due to the absence of markers of virus neuroattenuation and neurovirulence, ensuring mumps vaccine safety has proven problematic, as demonstrated by the occurrence of aseptic meningitis in recipients of certain vaccine strains. Here we examined the genetic basis of MuV neuroattenuation and neurovirulence by generating a series of recombinant viruses consisting of combinations of genes derived from a cDNA clone of the neurovirulent wild-type 88-1961 strain (r88) and from a cDNA clone of the highly attenuated Jeryl Lynn vaccine strain (rJL). Testing of these viruses in rats demonstrated the ability of several individual rJL genes and gene combinations to significantly neuroattenuate r88, with the greatest effect imparted by the rJL nucleoprotein/matrix protein combination. Interestingly, no tested combination of r88 genes, including the nucleoprotein/matrix protein combination, was able to convert rJL into a highly neurovirulent virus, highlighting mechanistic differences between processes involved in neuroattenuation and neurovirulence.     

Novel polyvalent live vaccine against varicella–zoster and mumps virus infections

The varicella–zoster virus (VZV) Oka vaccine strain (vOka) is a highly immunogenic and safe live vaccine that has long been used worldwide. Because its genome is large, making it suitable for inserting foreign genes, vOka is considered a candidate vector for novel polyvalent vaccines. Previously, a recombinant vOka, rvOka‐HN, that expresses mumps virus (MuV) hemagglutinin‐neuraminidase (HN) was generated by the present team. rvOka‐HN induces production of neutralizing antibodies against MuV in guinea pigs. MuV also expresses fusion (F) protein, which is important for inducing neutralizing antibodies, in its viral envelope. To induce a more robust immune response against MuV than that obtained with rvOka‐HN, here an rvOka expressing both HN and F (rvOka‐HN‐F) was generated. However, co‐expression of HN and F caused the infected cells to form syncytia, which reduced virus titers. To reduce the amount of cell fusion, an rvOka expressing HN and a mutant F, F(S195Y) were generated. Almost no syncytia formed among the rvOka‐HN‐F(S195Y)‐infected cells and the growth of rvOka‐HN‐F(S195Y) was similar to that of the original vOka clone. Moreover, replacement of serine 195 with tyrosine had no effect on the immunogenicity of F in mice and guinea pigs. Although obvious augmentation of neutralizing antibody production was not observed after adding F protein to vOka‐HN, the anti‐F antibodies did have neutralizing activity. These data suggest that F protein contributes to induction of immune protection against MuV. Therefore this recombinant virus is a promising candidate vaccine for polyvalent protection against both VZV and MuV.     

Mumps vaccine L-Zagreb, prepared in chick fibroblasts. I. Production and field trials

Leningrad-L3 Mumps Vaccine virus has been further attenuated by adaptation and passage on SPF chick embryo fibroblast cell cultures. This new mumps strain has been designated L-Zagreb and has been used to prepare mumps vaccines which meet the WHO requirements. Observations during both the field trial period prior to registration and during the later use of the vaccine showed that the few reactions observed were mild and that seroconversion was obtained in 88-98% of vaccines. The morbidity of mumps in Croatia declined more than tenfold after the introduction of the new vaccine. During a mumps epidemic, vaccine efficiency was calculated to be 97-100%.     

The V protein of mumps virus plays a critical role in pathogenesis

Mumps virus (MuV) causes an acute infection in humans characterized by a wide array of symptoms ranging from relatively mild manifestations, such as parotitis, to more-severe complications, such as meningitis and encephalitis. Widespread mumps vaccination has reduced mumps incidence dramatically; however, outbreaks still occur in vaccinated populations. The V protein of MuV, when expressed in cell culture, blocks interferon (IFN) expression and signaling and interleukin-6 (IL-6) signaling. In this work, we generated a recombinant MuV incapable of expressing the V protein (rMuVΔV). The rescued MuV was derived from a clinical wild-type isolate from a recent outbreak in the United States (MuV(Iowa/US/06), G genotype). Analysis of the virus confirmed the roles of V protein in blocking IFN expression and signaling and IL-6 signaling. We also found that the rMuV(Iowa/US/06)ΔV virus induced high levels of IL-6 expression in vitro, suggesting that V plays a role in reducing IL-6 expression. In vivo, the rMuV(Iowa/US/06)ΔV virus was highly attenuated, indicating that the V protein plays an essential role in viral virulence.     

Critical factors for the replication of mumps virus in primary chicken embryo fibroblasts defined by the use of design of experiments (DoE)

Live attenuated vaccines against mumps virus (MuV) have been traditionally produced by passaging the virus in the embryonated chicken eggs or primary chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEFs). Virus propagation on these cell substrates enables successful virus attenuation and retains it sufficiently antigenic to induce lasting protective immunity in humans. The aim of this study was to identify critical factors for MuV replication in primary CEFs grown on a small-scale level in order to explore possibilities for improvements in the virus replication and yield. The effect of differently prepared cells, culturing conditions, and infection conditions on virus yield was estimated by employing statistical design of experiments (DoE) methodology. Our results show that the preparation of primary CEFs and the way of their infection substantially impact virus yield and are critical for efficient MuV replication. These process parameters should be considered in further process optimization. We also demonstrate the applicability of DoE in optimization of virus replication as a crucial step in obtaining high virus yields.     

Genotyping of Mumps viruses based on SH gene: Development of a server using alignment-free and alignment-based methods

Mumps is an acute infectious childhood disease caused by mumps virus (MuV), a member of genus Rubu-lavirus, family Paramyxoviridae. Based on the genetic variability in small hydrophobic (SH) genes, currently MuVs have been divided into twelve confirmed genotypes designated as A-L and one proposed genotype, M. Despite successful vaccination program, a few genotypes are observed to co-circulate amongst vaccinated population. Furthermore, lack of cross protection between different genotypes is reported and hence, as a part of epidemiological surveillance, WHO has recommended genotyping of MuV. Currently genotyping is carried out using molecular phylogeny analysis (MPA) of SH genes and no genotyping server is available for MuV. The present study reports development of a genotyping server for the same, which employs three independent methods. The server uses two conventional methods viz., BLAST, MPA and a novel method based on Return Time Distribution (RTD), which is developed in-house. A server for genotyping of mumps virus is developed and made available at http://bioinfo.net.in/muv/homepage.html. RTD-based alignment-free method was initially developed for MPA and is applied for genotyping of MuV for the first time. It is found to have 98.95% of accuracy when measured using leave-one-out cross validation method on reference and test datasets. In addition to RTD, the server also imple-ments BLAST and MPA for genotyping of MuV. All the three methods were found to be highly reliable as evident from consensus predictions. A server for genotyping of MuV, which implements sequence-based bioinformatics approaches is developed and validated using SH gene sequences of known genotypes. This server will be useful for epidemiological surveillance and to monitor the circulation of MuV genotypes within and across geographic areas. This will also facilitate phylodynamics studies of mumps viruses.     

Francisella tularensis vaccines

Francisella tularensis is the causative agent of tularaemia, a disease which occurs naturally in some countries in the northern hemisphere. Recently, there has been a high level of interest in devising vaccines against the bacterium because of the potential for it to be used as a bioterrorism agent. Previous human volunteer studies have shown that a strain of F. tularensis [the live vaccine strain (LVS)] that has been attenuated by laboratory passage is effective in humans as a vaccine against airborne disease. However, for a variety of reasons it seems unlikely that the LVS strain will be licensed for use in humans. Against this background there is an effort to devise a licensable vaccine against tularaemia. The prospects for a killed whole-cell subunit of live attenuated vaccine are reviewed. A rationally attenuated mutant seems the most likely route to a new tularaemia vaccine.     

新城疫弱毒活疫苗中FAdV-4的分离鉴定及分子特征

【目的】当前我国鸡群禽腺病毒(Fowl adenovirus,FAd V)感染严重,该病毒既可水平传播也可经卵垂直传播,因此鸡胚源禽用弱毒活疫苗是否存在FAd V污染,进而造成疫病的传播尚不清楚。检测我国商品化新城疫La Sota弱毒活疫苗中是否存在FAd V污染,探讨国内鸡群中FAd V感染和流行的可能原因。【方法】应用本实验室建立的FAd V PCR检测方法检测商品化新城疫La Sota弱毒活疫苗,并进行FAd V分离鉴定。经序列比对和进化分析,鉴定分离毒株所属种、血清型及进化特征。【结果】分离到一株禽腺病毒,命名为L160962。基因分析表明,分离株L160962的52k和hexon基因片段序列与C种内的血清4型毒株相似性最高,其中与中国毒株HN/151025和CH/HNJZ/2015的相似性为99.9%-100%,与奥地利毒株KR5的相似性为99.3%,但与A、B、D和E种FAd V的相似性分别为79.0%-83.3%。系统进化分析表明,L160962与C种内的血清4型禽腺病毒在同一分支,核苷酸相似性在99.9%以上,应划分为血清4型FAd V。基于分离株L160962的hexon基因构建的系统进化树的拓扑结构,分离株L160962与中国毒株亲缘关系最近,提示疫苗源分离株L160962与我国当前流行毒株相近。【结论】我国商品化的新城疫La Sota弱毒活疫苗中存在血清4型FAd V污染,这可能是我国鸡群中FAd V大面积感染和流行的原因之一。     

The Effect of Vaccination on the Evolution and Population Dynamics of Avian Paramyxovirus-1

Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) is a pathogenic strain of avian paramyxovirus (aPMV-1) that is among the most serious of disease threats to the poultry industry worldwide. Viral diversity is high in aPMV-1; eight genotypes are recognized based on phylogenetic reconstruction of gene sequences. Modified live vaccines have been developed to decrease the economic losses caused by this virus. Vaccines derived from avirulent genotype II strains were developed in the 1950s and are in use globally, whereas Australian strains belonging to genotype I were developed as vaccines in the 1970s and are used mainly in Asia. In this study, we evaluated the consequences of attenuated live virus vaccination on the evolution of aPMV-1 genotypes. There was phylogenetic incongruence among trees based on individual genes and complete coding region of 54 full length aPMV-1 genomes, suggesting that recombinant sequences were present in the data set. Subsequently, five recombinant genomes were identified, four of which contained sequences from either genotype I or II. The population history of vaccine-related genotype II strains was distinct from other aPMV-1 genotypes; genotype II emerged in the late 19^th century and is evolving more slowly than other genotypes, which emerged in the 1960s. Despite vaccination efforts, genotype II viruses have experienced constant population growth to the present. In contrast, other contemporary genotypes showed population declines in the late 1990s. Additionally, genotype I and II viruses, which are circulating in the presence of homotypic vaccine pressure, have unique selection profiles compared to nonvaccine-related strains. Collectively, these data show that vaccination with live attenuated viruses has changed the evolution of aPMV-1 by maintaining a large effective population size of a vaccine-related genotype, allowing for coinfection and recombination of vaccine and wild type strains, and by applying unique selective pressures on viral glycoproteins.     

不同保存条件下Wm84株腮腺炎减毒活疫苗的稳定性

采用留样观察法对Wm84株腮腺炎减毒活疫苗在不同保存条件和不同规格疫苗(1 mL/支21批、0.5mL/支24批)的稳定性进行了比较.结果表明不同规格疫苗的稳定性均较好,疫苗保存温度越低其稳定性越好.     

Protection of mumps in children with various underlying diseases: application of a live attenuated mumps and trivalent measles-rubella-mumps (MRM) vaccines in these children

A live attenuated mumps and trivalent measles-rubella-mumps (MRM) vaccines have been applied to 887 and 148 children with various underlying diseases at the vaccine clinic of Osaka University Hospital between 1975 and 1985, respectively. Clinical reactions after mumps vaccination occurred in only 7 children (0.8%) and those after MRM vaccination in 28 children (19%), but their underlying diseases were not deteriorated by either vaccination. Clinical follow up study revealed that 2 of the 430 children immunized with mumps vaccine had contracted the disease during 7 year period and 2 of the 123 children immunized with MRM vaccine had contracted clinical mumps or rubella during 3 year period. The seroconversion rates after mumps vaccination were 70% and 61% by the hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test and neutralization (NT) test, respectively, while 94% by the fluorescent antibody to membrane antigen (FAMA) test. Those after MRM vaccination were 87% for measles, 96% for rubella by the HI test and 89% for mumps by the FAMA test. Serological follow up study revealed that antibodies elicited by mumps vaccination were sustained without substantial decline for at least 7 years. These results suggest that a live attenuated mumps and MRM vaccines are safe and effective in children with various underlying diseases.     

Newcastle Disease Virus Fusion Protein Is the Major Contributor to Protective Immunity of Genotype-Matched Vaccine

Virulent strains of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) can cause devastating disease in chickens worldwide. Although the current vaccines are substantially effective, they do not completely prevent infection, virus shedding and disease. To produce genotype-matched vaccines, a full-genome reverse genetics system has been used to generate a recombinant virus in which the F protein cleavage site has been changed to that of avirulent vaccine virus. In the other strategy, the vaccines have been generated by replacing the F and HN genes of a commercial vaccine strain with those from a genotype-matched virus. However, the protective efficacy of a chimeric virus vaccine has not been directly compared with that of a full-genome virus vaccine developed by reverse genetics. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the protective efficacy of genotype VII matched chimeric vaccines by generating three recombinant viruses based on avirulent LaSota (genotype II) strain in which the open reading frames (ORFs) encoding the F and HN proteins were replaced, individually or together, with those of the circulating and highly virulent Indonesian NDV strain Ban/010. The cleavage site of the Ban/010 F protein was mutated to the avirulent motif found in strain LaSota. In vitro growth characteristics and a pathogenicity test indicated that all three chimeric viruses retained the highly attenuated phenotype of the parental viruses. Immunization of chickens with chimeric and full-length genome VII vaccines followed by challenge with virulent Ban/010 or Texas GB (genotype II) virus demonstrated protection against clinical disease and death. However, only those chickens immunized with chimeric rLaSota expressing the F or F plus HN proteins of the Indonesian strain were efficiently protected against shedding of Ban/010 virus. Our findings showed that genotype-matched vaccines can provide protection to chickens by efficiently preventing spread of virus, primarily due to the F protein.     

Inhibition of ciliary activity in organ cultures of ferret trachea in reference to genetic and biological characters in influenza virus strains

As reported previously, attenuated stable inhibitor-resistant influenza viruses can be screened by a 50% ciliary activity inhibition test in ferret tracheal organ cultures. This test was further applied to a 5 attenuated cold-adapted influenza strains and to 11 strains with known a percentage of RNA-RNA hybridization with the parental A/PR/8/34 (HON1) virus strain. Again, with one exception, attenuated strains could be clearly differentiated from virulent ones. It was concluded that virulence of influenza strains for man can be detected using this test regardless of the techniques used to prepare attenuated variants. A preliminary screening of attenuated candidates for live influenza vaccines can be achieved with confidence on ferret tracheal organ cultures.     

Comparison of the Neurovirulence of a Vaccine and a Wild-Type Mumps Virus Strain in the Developing Rat Brain

Prior to the adoption of widespread vaccination programs, mumps virus was the leading cause of virus-induced central nervous system (CNS) disease. Mumps virus-associated CNS complications in vaccinees continue to be reported; outside the United States, some of these complications have been attributed to vaccination with insufficiently attenuated neurovirulent vaccine strains. The development of potentially neurovirulent, live, attenuated mumps virus vaccines stems largely from the lack of an animal model that can reliably predict the neurovirulence of mumps virus vaccine candidates in humans. The lack of an effective safety test with which to measure mumps virus neurovirulence has also hindered analysis of the neuropathogenesis of mumps virus infection and the identification of molecular determinants of neurovirulence. In this report we show, for the first time, that mumps virus infection of the neonatal rat leads to developmental abnormalities in the cerebellum due to cerebellar granule cell migration defects. The incidence of the cerebellar abnormalities and other neuropathological and clinical outcomes of mumps virus infection of the neonatal rat brain demonstrated the ability of this model to distinguish neurovirulent (Kilham) from nonneurovirulent (Jeryl Lynn) mumps virus strains. Thus, this neonatal rat model may prove useful in evaluating the neurovirulence potential of new live, attenuated vaccine strains and may also be of value in elucidating the molecular basis of mumps virus neurovirulence.     

Complete nucleotide sequence of a mumps virus SP strain isolated in China

The complete nucleotide sequence of the mumps virus SP, which was isolated in China, was determined. As with other mumps viruses, its genome was 15 384 nucleotides (nts) in length and encoded seven proteins. The full-length nucleotide sequence of the SP isolate differed from other strains by 4%-6.8% at the nucleotide sequence level. Due to variations of amino acids over the full genome (including the HN and N genes), this isolate exhibited significant variations in the antigenic sites. This report is the first to describe the full-length genome of a genotype F strain and provide an overview of the diversity of genetic characteristics of a circulating mumps virus.     

Molecular cloning and in vitro evaluation of an infectious simian-human immunodeficiency virus containing env of a primary Chinese HIV-1 subtype C isolate

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) clade C is the most prevalent subtype and accounts for approximately 50% of all HIV infections worldwide. In China, the prevalent HIV strains are B'/C subtypes, in which the envelope belongs to subtype C. To evaluate potential AIDS vaccines targeting Chinese viral strains in non-human primate models, we constructed an infectious simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) that expresses most of the envelope of a primary HIV strain, which was isolated from a HIV-positive intravenous drug user from XinJiang province in China. The resulting chimeric SHIV-XJ02170 was infectious in human, rhesus monkey and cynomolgus monkey peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and used CCR5 exclusively as coreceptor.     

辽宁省2008～2011年流行性腮腺炎野病毒SH蛋白基因特征分析

本研究用Vero/Slam细胞从辽宁省2008～2011年流行性腮腺炎暴发和散发患者的临床标本中分离到13株流行性腮腺炎野病毒(Mumps virus,MuV),应用逆转录-聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)针对MuV分离株的SH基因的316个核苷酸片段进行扩增,并对该产物进行序列测定。将这13株MuV与从GenBank下载的世界卫生组织(WHO)MuV基因型参考株一起进行分子流行病学研究。结果提示:除2011-015株外,辽宁省2008～2011年12株MuV分离株均属于F基因型,核苷酸和氨基酸同源性为94.9%～100%和83.3%～100%。与F基因型参考株序列相比,核苷酸和氨基酸同源性分别为92.4%～97.2%和96.5%～84.2%。表明2008～2011年辽宁省流行的F基因型MuV发生较大的型内变异。另外还发现F基因型MuV在SH基因上存在着特异性突变(CNt65,CNt105,G Nt137,C Nt192,C Nt239,GNT262),而其它基因型MuV在这些位点上均未发生改变。F基因型MuV在SH基因编码的氨基酸保守位点也发生变化。如:第2位上由S→P,第6位上由P→L,第23位上由T→N,第48位上由L→P/R。与基因分型有关的氨基酸三联体,2008-01-007毒株也发生了改变,由IML变为TMP。2011-015株病毒与F基因型参考株平均核苷酸和氨基酸同源性分别为87.5%和79.8%,与G型参考株平均核苷酸和氨基酸同源性分别为96.8%和97.4%,属于G基因型。该基因型为中国内地首次发现。