新城疫病毒F蛋白碱裂解位点修饰及外源基因的插入对 新城疫LaSota疫苗株致病力的影响

新城疫是危害养禽业发展的重要传染病.新城疫病毒(NDV)具有高度传染性和高致病性,融合蛋白(F)的F1/F2裂解位点存在多个碱性氨基酸并由此形成的泛组织嗜性一直以来被认为是NDV致病的主要决定因素.本研究利用已经构建NDV弱毒LaSota疫苗株反向遗传操作平台,将LaSota病毒F蛋白的碱裂解位点由GGRQGR↓L分别突变为GRRQRR↓F和GRRQRR↓L,在未加入TPCK胰酶的情况下分别成功拯救出突变修饰LaSota疫苗病毒株rL-FmF和rL-FmL,通过测定鸡胚平均致死时间(MDT)、脑内致病指数(ICPI)和静脉内致病指数(IVPI)等指标对其毒力进行评估,结果rL-FmF和rL-FmL,的ICPI值由LaSota的0.36分别上升为1.18和1.05,但.MDT均大于90小时,IVPI仍然均为0,表明碱裂解位点的突变可显著增强致病力.为了检测外源基因插入对病毒致病力的影响,进一步以rL-FmF为载体,分别构建并拯救出表达H5亚型禽流感病毒血凝素HA和增强绿色荧光蛋白EGFP基因的重组病毒rL-FmF-HA和rL-FmF-EGFP,经测定ICPI分别为0.67和1.10,但MDT均大于90小时,IVPI仍然均为0.结果表明,对rLaSota病毒F蛋白裂解位点2个非碱性氨基酸突变为碱性氨基酸,无论F2蛋白氨基端为F或L,均可显著增强其脑内接种致病力,接近中发型毒株标准,但对静脉内接种致病能力均无显著影响,而对鸡胚致死能力均保持rIaSota病毒缓发型特点(MDT≥90);外源基因的重组、表达可不同程度致弱病毒,其致弱程度与外源基因及其表达产物性质有关.结果提示,影响NDV致病力不仅仅局限于F蛋白裂解位点氨基酸序列;通过F裂解位点修饰及HA基因插入可以获得致病力较高但基本接近缓发型标准的重组病毒.     

Different Regions of the Newcastle Disease Virus Fusion Protein Modulate Pathogenicity

Newcastle disease virus (NDV), also designated as Avian paramyxovirus type 1 (APMV-1), is the causative agent of a notifiable disease of poultry but it exhibits different pathogenicity dependent on the virus strain. The molecular basis for this variability is not fully understood. The efficiency of activation of the fusion protein (F) is determined by presence or absence of a polybasic amino acid sequence at an internal proteolytic cleavage site which is a major determinant of NDV virulence. However, other determinants of pathogenicity must exist since APMV-1 of high (velogenic), intermediate (mesogenic) and low (lentogenic) virulence specify a polybasic F cleavage site. We aimed at elucidation of additional virulence determinants by constructing a recombinant virus that consists of a lentogenic NDV Clone 30 backbone and the F protein gene from a mesogenic pigeon paramyxovirus-1 (PPMV-1) isolate with an intracerebral pathogenicity index (ICPI) of 1.1 specifying the polybasic sequence R-R-K-K-R*F motif at the cleavage site. The resulting virus was characterized by an ICPI of 0.6, indicating a lentogenic pathotype. In contrast, alteration of the cleavage site G-R-Q-G-R*L of the lentogenic Clone 30 to R-R-K-K-R*F resulted in a recombinant virus with an ICPI of 1.36 which was higher than that of parental PPMV-1. Substitution of different regions of the F protein of Clone 30 by those of PPMV-1, while maintaining the polybasic amino acid sequence at the F cleavage site, resulted in recombinant viruses with ICPIs ranging from 0.59 to 1.36 suggesting that virulence is modulated by regions of the F protein other than the polybasic cleavage site.     

置换HN基因对新城疫病毒LaSota株致病力的影响

[目的]新城疫病毒的血凝素.神经氨酸酶(HN)和融合蛋白(F)在病毒装配、出芽、释放及侵入宿主细胞的过程中发挥关键作用,但HN对病毒致病力的影响程度尚不完全清楚.[方法]为探讨这一问题,本研究以中等毒力毒株Mukteswar的HN基因替换我国广泛应用的LaSota疫苗株HN基因,通过反向遗传操作技术拯救出嵌合病毒(rL-MuHN).[结果]rL-MuHN红细胞吸附能力较亲本株rLaSota无显著升高,具有相似的细胞融合活性;嵌合病毒ICPI由rLaSota株的0.36降为0,MDT≥90,IVPI=0与rLaSota株相同,保持典型低致病力缓发型特点不变.进一步以Mukteswar株F基因替换rL-MuHN的F基因,拯救出F和HN双基因替换嵌合病毒rL-MuFHN,尽管该病毒的细胞融合能力显著提高,但其MDT、ICPI和IVPI分别为98 h,0.59和0,显示F和HN双基因替换仍未能使嵌合新城疫病毒rL-MuFHN的致病力达到中等毒力毒株Mukteswar(MDT、ICPI及IVPI分别为46 h、1.32和0.64)的水平.[结论]试验结果表明,F及HN囊膜蛋白基因之外的病毒基因组骨架背景对病毒的致病性同样具有重要的决定性意义,不同HN蛋白对嵌合病毒的致病能力的影响不同,与供体毒株毒力无关;以流行野毒株HN替代rLaSota疫苗株构建抗原针对性更强的弱毒疫苗株存在技术可行性.     

一株基因Ⅱ型新城疫强毒株的分子特性

从患病肉鸡群分离到一株新城疫病毒(NewcastleDiseasevirus,NDV)SQZ04。经蚀斑纯化后接种40日龄SPF鸡可诱发典型病变。经蚀斑纯化前和后的MDT为50·5h和51·2h,ICPI为2·0和1·92,IVPI为2·8和2·68,表明属强毒株。但F基因分型表明SQZ04属基因Ⅱ型,而且其与已知基因Ⅱ型的疫苗株LaSota、B1和Texas48的同源性分别为99·3%、98·7%和96·9%,显著高于与基因Ⅶ或Ⅸ型强毒株的同源性88·3%~88·6%或91·3%~92·1%。这是国内第一株属于基因Ⅱ型的NDV强毒株。SQZ04F多肽氨基酸裂解位点的序列为111GGRQGRL117,与弱毒株序列完全相同,这也是国内外首次报道具有这一氨基酸序列的强毒野毒株。然而,SQZ04株与其他已知强毒株的HN氨基酸同源性高达95·3%~97·3%,显著高于与弱毒株LaSota等的同源性87·8%~89·5%。     

新城疫病毒ZJ1株F蛋白裂解位点突变对其融合活性的影响

新城疫病毒ZJ1毒株是近年来在我国水禽中流行并能引起水禽严重发病和死亡的强毒株,其F蛋白裂解位点有多个碱性氨基酸分布。将该毒株F蛋白裂解位点的112、115和117位碱性氨基酸突变成弱毒株特征的非碱性氨基酸,构建了重组表达质粒pCI-FT。分别将突变前后的F蛋白与该毒株的HN蛋白在COS-1细胞共表达,表明突变前后的F蛋白均有融合活性;分别将突变前后的F蛋白与该毒株的HN蛋白在CEF细胞共表达,表明突变后F蛋白被裂解的活性大大降低。以上研究为下一步在全长cDNA克隆水平上对F蛋白裂解位点氨基酸序列进行相应突变,研究毒力相关因素以及构建毒力致弱疫苗株等奠定基础。     

用反向遗传技术致弱基因VIId型鹅源新城疫病毒ZJI株

将新城疫病毒ZJI株基因组cDNA全长分成7个片段,依次连接并克隆至TVT7R转录载体中,构建了含ZJI株全基因组cDNA的转录载体(pNDV/ZJI),pNDV/ZJI与3个辅助表达质粒pCI-NP、pCI-P和pCI-L共转染BSR-T7/5细胞,成功拯救出了具有感染性的新城疫病毒粒子。设计两对引物,经overlapPCR方法将该毒株F蛋白裂解位点的112、115和117位碱性氨基酸突变成弱毒株特征的非碱性氨基酸后,替换pNDV/ZJI上的对应序列,构建了转录载体pNDV/ZJIFM,将pNDV/ZJIFM与3个辅助表达质粒共转染BSR-T7/5细胞,成功拯救出了致弱的基因VIId型鹅源新城疫病毒NDV/ZJIFM,获救病毒的鸡胚最小致死剂量平均死亡时间(MDT)大于120h,同时该病毒的脑内接种致病指数(ICPI)为0.16,上述结果表明,获救病毒的毒力已被致弱,是一个较为理想的疫苗候选株。     

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.     

Generation by Reverse Genetics of an Effective,Stable, Live-Attenuated Newcastle Disease Virus Vaccine Based on a Currently Circulating,Highly Virulent Indonesian Strain

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) can cause severe disease in chickens. Although NDV vaccines exist, there are frequent reports of outbreaks in vaccinated chickens. During 2009–2010, despite intense vaccination, NDV caused major outbreaks among commercial poultry farms in Indonesia. These outbreaks raised concern regarding the protective immunity of current vaccines against circulating virulent strains in Indonesia. In this study, we investigated whether a recombinant attenuated Indonesian NDV strain could provide better protection against prevalent Indonesian viruses. A reverse genetics system for the highly virulent NDV strain Banjarmasin/010/10 (Ban/010) isolated in Indonesia in 2010 was constructed. The Ban/010 virus is classified in genotype VII of class II NDV, which is genetically distinct from the commercial vaccine strains B1 and LaSota, which belong to genotype II, and shares only 89 and 87% amino acid identity for the protective antigens F and HN, respectively. A mutant virus, named Ban/AF, was developed in which the virulent F protein cleavage site motif “RRQKR↓F” was modified to an avirulent motif “GRQGR↓L” by three amino acid substitutions (underlined). The Ban/AF vaccine virus did not produce syncytia or plaques in cell culture, even in the presence of added protease. Pathogenicity tests showed that Ban/AF was completely avirulent. Ban/AF replicated efficiently during 10 consecutive passages in chickens and remained genetically stable. Serological analysis showed that Ban/AF induced higher neutralization and hemagglutination inhibition antibody titers against the prevalent viruses than the commercial vaccines B1 or LaSota. Both Ban/AF and commercial vaccines provided protection against clinical disease and mortality after challenge with virulent NDV strain Ban/010 (genotype VII) or GB Texas (genotype II). However, Ban/AF significantly reduced challenge virus shedding from the vaccinated birds compared to B1 vaccine. These results suggest that Ban/AF can provide better protection than commercial vaccines and is a promising vaccine candidate against NDV strains circulating in Indonesia.     

表达绿色荧光蛋白重组新城疫病毒 LaSota疫苗株的构建

新城疫病毒是理想的新型活病毒疫苗载体,具有巨大的优势和应用前景。采用生产实践中广泛应用、免疫效果良好的NDV LaSota弱毒疫苗株,建立了反向遗传操作系统。在此基础上,进一步构建了表达绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)的重组NDV基因组cDNA克隆,成功救获了重组病毒rLaSota-EGFP,病毒F1代尿囊病毒液按1×104EID50接种9~10日龄SPF鸡胚尿囊腔,接种后分别于24h、48h、72h及96h收获尿囊液,检测平均HA滴度分别为28、210.3、211.3和211,每mL尿囊液病毒量EID50分别为108.64、109.22、109.21和109.64,重组病毒与亲本株生长滴度在相近时间达到峰值,生长动力学特性与亲本株无明显差异。各代次重组病毒按1×106EID50病毒量接种9~10日龄SPF鸡胚,96h内完全不致死鸡胚。救获重组病毒保持了LaSota弱毒疫苗亲本毒株对鸡胚良好的高滴度生长适应和低致病特性,并且鸡胚连续传9代次仍保持GFP的稳定表达及生物学特性不变。重组病毒rLaSota-EGFP的成功救获为开展新城疫病毒活载体疫苗研制提供了可行的技术平台。     

Newcastle disease virus fusion protein expressed in a fowlpox virus recombinant confers protection in chickens.

A cDNA copy of the RNA encoding the fusion (F) protein of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) strain Texas, a velogenic strain of NDV, was obtained and the sequence was determined. The 1,792-base-pair sequence encodes a protein of 553 amino acids which has essential features previously established for the F protein of virulent NDV strains. These include the presence of three strongly hydrophobic regions and pairs of dibasic amino acids in the pentapeptide Arg-Arg-Gln-Arg-Arg preceding the putative cleavage site. When inserted into a fowlpox virus vector, a glycosylated protein was expressed and presented on the surface of infected chicken embryo fibroblast cells. The F protein expressed by the recombinant fowlpox virus was cleaved into two polypeptides. When inoculated into susceptible birds by a variety of routes, an immunological response was induced. Ocular or oral administration of the recombinant fowlpox virus gave partial protection, whereas both intramuscular and wing-web routes of inoculation gave complete protection after a single inoculation.     

A recombinant Newcastle disease virus (NDV) expressing VP2 protein of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) protects against NDV and IBDV

Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) causes a highly immunosuppressive disease in chickens. Currently available, live IBDV vaccines can lead to generation of variant viruses. We have developed an alternative vaccine that will not create variant IBDV. By using the reverse genetics approach, we devised a recombinant Newcastle disease virus (NDV) vector from a commonly used vaccine strain LaSota to express the host-protective immunogen VP2 of a variant IBDV strain GLS-5. The gene encoding the VP2 protein of the IBDV was inserted into the most 3'-proximal locus of a full-length NDV cDNA for high-level expression. We successfully recovered the recombinant virus, rLaSota/VP2. The rLaSota/VP2 was genetically stable, at least up to 12 serial passages in chicken embryos, and was shown to express the VP2 protein. The VP2 protein was not incorporated into the virions of recombinant virus. Recombinant rLaSota/VP2 replicated to a titer similar to that of parental NDV strain LaSota in chicken embryos and cell cultures. To assess protective efficacy of the rLaSota/VP2, 2-day-old specific-pathogen-free chickens were vaccinated with the recombinant virus and challenged with a highly virulent NDV strain Texas GB or IBDV variant strain GLS-5 at 3 weeks postvaccination. Vaccination with rLaSota/VP2 generated antibody responses against both NDV and IBDV and provided 90% protection against NDV and IBDV. Booster immunization induced higher levels of antibody responses against both NDV and IBDV and conferred complete protection against both viruses. These results indicate that the recombinant NDV can be used as a vaccine vector for other avian pathogens.     

Generation of an infectious clone of VR-2332, a highly virulent North American-type isolate of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus

A full-length cDNA clone of the prototypical North American porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) isolate VR-2332 was assembled in the plasmid vector pOK(12). To rescue infectious virus, capped RNA was transcribed in vitro from the pOK(12) clone and transfected into BHK-21C cells. The supernatant from transfected monolayers were serially passaged on Marc-145 cells and porcine pulmonary alveolar macrophages. Infectious PRRSV was recovered on Marc-145 cells as well as porcine pulmonary macrophages; thus, the cloned virus exhibited the same cell tropism as the parental VR-2332 strain. However, the cloned virus was clearly distinguishable from the parental VR-2332 strain by an engineered marker, a BstZ17I restriction site. The full-length cDNA clone had 11 nucleotide changes, 2 of which affected coding, compared to the parental VR-2332 strain. Additionally, the transcribed RNA had an extra G at the 5' end. To examine whether these changes influenced viral replication, we examined the growth kinetics of the cloned virus in vitro. In Marc-145 cells, the growth kinetics of the cloned virus reflected those of the parental isolate, even though the titers of the cloned virus were consistently slightly lower. In experimentally infected 5.5-week-old pigs, the cloned virus produced blue discoloration of the ears, a classical clinical symptom of PRRSV. Also, the seroconversion kinetics of pigs infected with the cloned virus and VR-2332 were very similar. Hence, virus derived from the full-length cDNA clone appeared to recapitulate the biological properties of the highly virulent parental VR-2332 strain. This is the first report of an infectious cDNA clone based on American-type PRRSV. The availability of this cDNA clone will allow examination of the molecular mechanisms behind PRRSV virulence and attenuation, which might in turn allow the production of second-generation, genetically engineered PRRSV vaccines.     

The large polymerase protein is associated with the virulence of Newcastle disease virus

Naturally occurring Newcastle disease virus (NDV) strains vary greatly in virulence, ranging from no apparent infection to severe disease causing 100% mortality in chickens. The viral determinants of NDV virulence are not completely understood. Cleavage of the fusion protein is required for the initiation of infection, and it acts as a determinant of virulence. The attachment protein HN was found to play a minor role in virulence. In this study, we have evaluated the role of the internal proteins (N, P, and L) in NDV virulence by using a chimeric reverse-genetics approach. The N, P, and L genes were exchanged individually between an avirulent NDV strain, LaSota, and an intermediate virulent NDV strain, Beaudette C (BC), and the N and P genes were also exchanged together. The recovered chimeric viruses were evaluated for their pathogenicity in the natural host, chickens. Our results showed that the pathogenicities of N and P chimeric viruses were similar to those of their respective parental viruses, indicating that the N and P genes probably play minor roles in virulence. However, replacement of the L gene of BC with that of LaSota significantly increased the pathogenicity of the L-chimeric virus, suggesting that the L gene probably contributes to the virulence of NDV. The L-chimeric BC virus was found to replicate at a 100-fold-higher level than its parental virus in chicken brain, suggesting that the increase in pathogenicity may be due to the increased replication level of the chimeric virus. Our findings offer new insights into the pathogenesis of NDV infection.     

Mutations in the fusion protein cleavage site of avian paramyxovirus serotype 2 increase cleavability and syncytium formation but do not increase viral virulence in chickens

Avian paramyxovirus serotype 2 (APMV-2) is one of the nine serotypes of APMV, which infect a wide variety of avian species around the world. In this study, we constructed a reverse genetics system for recovery of infectious recombinant APMV-2 strain Yucaipa (APMV-2/Yuc) from cloned cDNA. The rescued recombinant virus (rAPMV-2) resembled the biological virus in growth properties in vitro and in pathogenicity in vivo. The reverse genetics system was used to analyze the role of the cleavage site of the fusion (F) protein in viral replication and pathogenesis. The cleavage site of APMV-2/Yuc (KPASR↓F) contains only a single basic residue (position -1) that matches the preferred furin cleavage site [RX(K/R)R↓]. (Underlining indicates the basic amino acids at the F protein cleavage site, and the arrow indicates the site of cleavage.) Contrary to what would be expected for this cleavage sequence, APMV-2 does not require, and is not augmented by, exogenous protease supplementation for growth in cell culture. However, it does not form syncytia, and the virus is avirulent in chickens. A total of 12 APMV-2 mutants with F protein cleavage site sequences derived from APMV serotypes 1 to 9 were generated. These sites contain from 1 to 5 basic residues. Whereas a number of these cleavage sites are associated with protease dependence and lack of syncytium formation in their respective native viruses, when transferred into the APMV-2 backbone, all of them conferred protease independence, syncytium formation, and increased replication in cell culture. Examination of selected mutants during a pulse-chase experiment demonstrated an increase in F protein cleavage compared to that for wild-type APMV-2. Despite the gains in cleavability, replication, and syncytium formation, analysis of viral pathogenicity in 9-day-old embryonated chicken eggs, 1-day-old chicks, and 2-week-old chickens showed that the F protein cleavage site mutants did not exhibit increased pathogenicity and remained avirulent. These results imply that structural features in addition to the cleavage site play a major role in the cleavability of the F protein and the activity of the cleaved protein. Furthermore, cleavage of the F protein is not a determinant of APMV-2 pathogenicity in chickens.     

鹅副粘病毒SF02 F基因的序列分析及SF02的多重RT—PCR鉴别

对新近分离的鹅副粘病毒SF0 2采用RT PCR方法 ,扩增F基因后测序 ,得到全长的F基因。该基因的ORF总长为 16 6 2nt,编码 5 5 3个氨基酸 ,其裂解位点的序列为112 R R Q K R F117,与新城疫病毒强毒株的特征相符。其核苷酸和氨基酸同源性分析 ,并与国内新城疫病毒标准强毒株F4 8E9相比较 ,表明该毒株在F基因上已发生了较大的变异 ,而与近年来在我国台湾和部分西欧国家流行的禽副粘病毒有很高的亲缘关系。在分析F基因序列的基础上 ,设计 3条引物 ,建立了一种新的多重RT PCR方法 ,能区分鸡新城疫病毒与鹅副粘病毒。     

Characterization of Newcastle Disease Viruses in Wild and Domestic Birds in Luxembourg from 2006 to 2008

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is one of the most important viral diseases of birds. Wild birds constitute a natural reservoir of low-virulence viruses, while poultry are the main reservoir of virulent strains. Exchange of virus between these reservoirs represents a risk for both bird populations. Samples from wild and domestic birds collected between 2006 and 2010 in Luxembourg were analyzed for NDV. Three similar avirulent genotype I strains were found in ducks during consecutive years, suggesting that the virus may have survived and spread locally. However, separate introductions cannot be excluded, because no recent complete F gene sequences of genotype I from other European countries are available. Detection of vaccine-like strains in wild waterbirds suggested the spread of vaccine strains, despite the nonvaccination policy in Luxembourg. Among domestic birds, only one chicken was positive for a genotype II strain differing from the LaSota vaccine and exhibiting a so-far-unrecognized fusion protein cleavage site of predicted low virulence. Three genotype VI strains from pigeons were the only virulent strains found. The circulation of NDV in wild and free-ranging domestic birds warrants continuous surveillance because of increased concern that low-virulence wild-bird viruses could become more virulent in domestic populations.     

The hemagglutinin-neuraminidase protein of Newcastle disease virus determines tropism and virulence

The hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) protein of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) plays a crucial role in the process of infection. However, the exact contribution of the HN gene to NDV pathogenesis is not known. In this study, the role of the HN gene in NDV virulence was examined. By use of reverse genetics procedures, the HN genes of a virulent recombinant NDV strain, rBeaudette C (rBC), and an avirulent recombinant NDV strain, rLaSota, were exchanged. The hemadsorption and neuraminidase activities of the chimeric viruses showed significant differences from those of their parental strains, but heterotypic F and HN pairs were equally effective in fusion promotion. The tissue tropism of the viruses was shown to be dependent on the origin of the HN protein. The chimeric virus with the HN protein derived from the virulent virus exhibited a tissue predilection similar to that of the virulent virus, and vice versa. The chimeric viruses with reciprocal HN proteins either gained or lost virulence, as determined by a standard intracerebral pathogenicity index test of chickens and by the mean death time in chicken embryos (a measure devised to classify these viruses), indicating that virulence is a function of the amino acid differences in the HN protein. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the virulence of NDV is multigenic and that the cleavability of F protein alone does not determine the virulence of a strain.     

Immunization of Chickens with Newcastle Disease Virus Expressing H5 Hemagglutinin Protects against Highly Pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza Viruses

Background

Highly-pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) and Newcastle disease virus (NDV) are the two most important poultry viruses in the world. Natural low-virulence NDV strains have been used as vaccines over the past 70 years with proven track records. We have previously developed a reverse genetics system to produce low-virulent NDV vaccine strain LaSota from cloned cDNA. This system allows us to use NDV as a vaccine vector for other avian pathogens.

Methodology/Principal Finding

Here, we constructed two recombinant NDVs (rNDVs) each of which expresses the hemagglutinin (HA) gene of HPAIV H5N1strain A/Vietnam/1203/2004 from an added gene. In one, rNDV (rNDV-HA), the open reading frame (ORF) of HA gene was expressed without modification. In the second, rNDV (rNDV-HAF), the ORF was modified so that the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains of the encoded HA gene were replaced with those of the NDV F protein. The insertion of either version of the HA ORF did not increase the virulence of the rNDV vector. The HA protein was found to be incorporated into the envelopes of both rNDV-HA and rNDV-HAF. However, there was an enhanced incorporation of the HA protein in rNDV-HAF. Chickens immunized with a single dose of either rNDV-HA or rNDV-HAF induced a high titer of HPAIV H5-specific antibodies and were completely protected against challenge with NDV as well as lethal challenges of both homologous and heterologous HPAIV H5N1.

Conclusion and Significance

Our results suggest that these chimeric viruses have potential as safe and effective bivalent vaccines against NDV and. HPAIV. These vaccines will be convenient and affordable, which will be highly beneficial to the poultry industry. Furthermore, immunization with these vaccines will permit serological differentiation of vaccinated and avian influenza field virus infected animals.     

Mutations in the Fusion Protein Cleavage Site of Avian Paramyxovirus Serotype 4 Confer Increased Replication and Syncytium Formation In Vitro but Not Increased Replication and Pathogenicity in Chickens and Ducks

To evaluate the role of the F protein cleavage site in the replication and pathogenicity of avian paramyxoviruses (APMVs), we constructed a reverse genetics system for recovery of infectious recombinant APMV-4 from cloned cDNA. The recovered recombinant APMV-4 resembled the biological virus in growth characteristics in vitro and in pathogenicity in vivo. The F cleavage site sequence of APMV-4 (DIQPR↓F) contains a single basic amino acid, at the -1 position. Six mutant APMV-4 viruses were recovered in which the F protein cleavage site was mutated to contain increased numbers of basic amino acids or to mimic the naturally occurring cleavage sites of several paramyxoviruses, including neurovirulent and avirulent strains of NDV. The presence of a glutamine residue at the -3 position was found to be important for mutant virus recovery. In addition, cleavage sites containing the furin protease motif conferred increased replication and syncytium formation in vitro. However, analysis of viral pathogenicity in 9-day-old embryonated chicken eggs, 1-day-old and 2-week-old chickens, and 3-week-old ducks showed that none the F protein cleavage site mutations altered the replication, tropism, and pathogenicity of APMV-4, and no significant differences were observed among the parental and mutant APMV-4 viruses in vivo. Although parental and mutant viruses replicated somewhat better in ducks than in chickens, they all were highly restricted and avirulent in both species. These results suggested that the cleavage site sequence of the F protein is not a limiting determinant of APMV-4 pathogenicity in chickens and ducks.