麻疹病毒全长cDNA构建及其感染性的研究

为发展新型疫苗和改造目前使用的麻疹病毒疫苗,以麻疹病毒疫苗株为模板,构建了具有感染性的麻疹病毒cDNA克隆.用RT-PCR分6段扩增出麻疹病毒全长基因,通过酶切、拼接构建麻疹病毒疫苗株CC-47的全长正链cDNA序列,并精确地置于T7启动子控制下与丁型肝炎病毒核酶序列之前.克隆麻疹病毒CC-47株蛋白N、P、L编码区质粒并置于T7启动子控制下,用4个质粒共转染哺乳动物细胞,在表达T7 RNA聚合酶的重组痘苗病毒VTF7-3的作用下进行病毒拯救.经免疫荧光、PCR等方法检测证实,获得了具有感染性的麻疹病毒.所拯救的病毒在哺乳动物细胞连续传3代后,仍能检出病毒抗原和核酸.     

我国麻疹病毒流行株的H和N基因变异速率探讨

从GenBank检索并下载了我国近40年的麻疹病毒血凝素蛋白(H)和核蛋白(N)的全基因组序列,用Bioedit7.0软件对参考株和代表株进行序列比对,并进行氨基酸进化树的构建,进一步从氨基酸层面分析麻疹流行株的变化速率。结果显示麻疹病毒H蛋白发生的变异,表现为近十年的变异率(1.33×10-3)大约为前三十年变异率(0.95×10-3)的1.4倍,而N蛋白发生的变异,表现为近些年的变异率(1.90×10-3)大约为前三十年变异率(1.01×10-3)的1.8倍。本研究结果提示麻疹病毒近年变异率有增快的趋势,今后需加强对麻疹病毒基因型变异和演变的监测。     

我国麻疹病毒流行株的H和N基因变异速率探讨

从GenBank检索并下载了我国近40年的麻疹病毒血凝素蛋白(H)和核蛋白(N)的全基因组序列, 用Bioedit7.0软件对参考株和代表株进行序列比对,并进行氨基酸进化树的构建,进一步从氨基酸层面分析麻疹流行株的变化速率.结果显示麻疹病毒H蛋白发生的变异, 表现为近十年的变异率(1.33×10-3)大约为前三十年变异率(0.95×10-3)的1.4倍,而N蛋白发生的变异,表现为近些年的变异率(1.90×10-3)大约为前三十年变异率(1.01×10-3)的1.8倍.本研究结果提示麻疹病毒近年变异率有增快的趋势,今后需加强对麻疹病毒基因型变异和演变的监测.     

浙江省麻疹病毒的基因特征分析

目的分析浙江省流行的麻疹病毒(MV)的基因特征,为更好地防控麻疹提供科学参考。方法从GenBank检索并下载浙江省所有麻疹病毒株、中国麻疹疫苗株和WHO推荐参考株的血凝素蛋白(H)和核蛋白(N)的基因组序列,利用MEGA 6.0软件进行比对分析,构建种系进化树,确定浙江省麻疹病毒流行的基因型别,并进行同源性和基因变异分析。结果浙江省麻疹病毒以H1基因型为主(27株),其他基因型为辅(2株B3型)。H1a亚型(21/27)占绝对优势,其次为H1b亚型(6/27)。浙江省所有毒株间H蛋白的氨基酸同源性为96.9%~100.0%,与疫苗株Shanghai-191和Changchun-47的同源性均为95.0%~96.0%。浙江省所有毒株间N蛋白羧基末端的氨基酸同源性为82.7%~100.0%,与疫苗株Shanghai-191的同源性为85.8%~89.5%,与疫苗株Changchun-47的同源性为87.3%~91.0%。结论麻疹病毒H1基因型为浙江省麻疹流行的优势株,与现行参考疫苗株(A基因型)差异较大,因此针对麻疹病毒H1基因型疫苗的研制是今后浙江省麻疹病毒防控的关键。     

麻疹病毒L4株基因组全序列的测定

将麻疹病毒L4株毒种接种于CEC细胞,传代培养及鉴定合格后,用Trizol法提取总RNA,进行分段RT-PCR扩增,并将PCR产物精制后测序分析。结果表明,成功测出麻疹病毒L4株15894 nt全基因组序列,为了解其基因组结构与生物功能的关系及研究开发麻疹病毒新型疫苗而奠定基础。     

桃拉综合征病毒中国株ZHZC3全基因测序及分子结构预测

设计8对引物分片段扩增桃拉综合征病毒中国分离株ZHZC3全基因组,病毒两末端序列采用末端快速扩增方法(RACE)获取。扩增产物克隆到pMD18-T载体并测序,用DNAstar软件拼接全序列及同源性比较。结果显示ZHZC3全序列除去3′poly(A)尾,由10202个碱基组成,有两个开放阅读框,分别编码2107和1011个氨基酸的聚蛋白。与美国参考株HI94相比,在编码区没有核苷酸的缺失和插入,但在5′UTR缺失3个A,两者整体核酸同源性达97.9%。ORF1中ZHZC3与HI94及巴西株(BLZ01)的核酸同源性分别为97.6%、97.7%,在ORF2中ZHZC3与HI94、BLZ01的核酸同源性则分别为98.3、97%。与国外株ORF2的部分序列比较发现:ZHZC3和中国台湾株均与美国株HI94同源性最高。克隆分析6株TSV中国大陆株主要结构蛋白CP2基因,发现其编码的氨基酸存在三个高变区,中国大陆株更有其独特的氨基酸变异模式,312(S),449(A),451(Q)和468(H)。表明该病毒的整体变异性不高,但中国的流行株已形成其自己的遗传演变特征。在此基础上,利用生物学软件对CP2蛋白功能域和三维结构进行了预测,为进一步分析CP2蛋白结构与功能关系奠定了基础。ZHZC3株是第一个测定全序列的TSV中国株。     

桃拉综合征病毒中国株ZHZC3全基因测序及分子结构预测

设计8对引物分片段扩增桃拉综合征病毒中国分离株ZHZC3全基因组,病毒两末端序列采用末端快速扩增方法(RACE)获取.扩增产物克隆到pMD18-T载体并测序,用DNAstar软件拼接全序列及同源性比较.结果显示ZHZC3全序列除去3' poly (A)尾,由10202个碱基组成,有两个开放阅读框,分别编码2107和1011个氨基酸的聚蛋白.与美国参考株HI94相比,在编码区没有核苷酸的缺失和插入,但在5' UTR缺失3个A,两者整体核酸同源性达97.9%.ORF1 中ZHZC3与HI94及巴西株(BLZ01)的核酸同源性分别为97.6%、97.7%,在ORF2中ZHZC3与HI94、BLZ01的核酸同源性则分别为98.3、97%.与国外株ORF2的部分序列比较发现ZHZC3和中国台湾株均与美国株HI94同源性最高.克隆分析6株TSV中国大陆株主要结构蛋白CP2基因,发现其编码的氨基酸存在三个高变区,中国大陆株更有其独特的氨基酸变异模式,312 (S), 449 (A), 451 (Q) 和468 (H).表明该病毒的整体变异性不高,但中国的流行株已形成其自己的遗传演变特征.在此基础上,利用生物学软件对CP2蛋白功能域和三维结构进行了预测,为进一步分析CP2蛋白结构与功能关系奠定了基础.ZHZC3株是第一个测定全序列的TSV中国株.     

Measles virus-specific CD4 T-cell activity does not correlate with protection against lung infection or viral clearance

Acute measles in children can be prevented by immunization with the live attenuated measles vaccine virus. Although immunization is able to induce CD4 and CD8 T cells as well as neutralizing antibodies, only the latter have been correlated with protective immunity. CD8 T cells, however, have been documented to be important in viral clearance in the respiratory tract, whereas CD4 T cells have been shown to be protective in a mouse encephalitis model. In order to investigate the CD4 T-cell response in infection of the respiratory tract, we have defined a T-cell epitope in the hemagglutinin (H) protein for immunization and developed a monoclonal antibody for depletion of CD4 T cells in the cotton rat model. Although the kinetics of CD4 T-cell development correlated with clearance of virus, the depletion of CD4 T cells during the primary infection did not influence viral titers in lung tissue. Immunization with the H epitope induced a CD4 T-cell response but did not protect against infection. Immunization in the presence of maternal antibodies resulted in the development of a CD4 T-cell response which (in the absence of neutralizing antibodies) did not protect against infection. In summary, CD4 T cells do not seem to protect against infection after immunization and do not participate in clearance of virus infection from lung tissue during measles virus infection. We speculate that the major role of CD4 T cells is to control and clear virus infection from other affected organs like the brain.     

Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus) Signaling Lymphocyte Activation Molecule (CD150) Is an Entry Receptor for Measles Virus

Cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) replicate measles virus (MV) after intranasal infection in the respiratory tract and lymphoid tissue. We have cloned the cotton rat signaling lymphocytic activation molecule (CD150, SLAM) in order to investigate its role as a potential receptor for MV. Cotton rat CD150 displays 58% and 78% amino acid homology with human and mouse CD150, respectively. By staining with a newly generated cotton rat CD150 specific monoclonal antibody expression of CD150 was confirmed in cotton rat lymphoid cells and in tissues with a pattern of expression similar to mouse and humans. Previously, binding of MV hemagglutinin has been shown to be dependent on amino acids 60, 61 and 63 in the V region of CD150. The human molecule contains isoleucine, histidine and valine at these positions and binds to MV-H whereas the mouse molecule contains valine, arginine and leucine and does not function as a receptor for MV. In the cotton rat molecule, amino acids 61 and 63 are identical with the mouse molecule and amino acid 60 with the human molecule. After transfection with cotton rat CD150 HEK 293 T cells became susceptible to infection with single cycle VSV pseudotype virus expressing wild type MV glycoproteins and with a MV wildtype virus. After infection, cells expressing cotton rat CD150 replicated virus to lower levels than cells expressing the human molecule and formed smaller plaques. These data might explain why the cotton rat is a semipermissive model for measles virus infection.     

Detection of IgG antibody to measles virus by radioimmunoassay technique

A highly sensitive procedure of solid-phase radioimmunoassay (RIA) was developed for the detection of measles IgG antibody. HeLa cells persistently infected with measles virus were used as a solid-phase antigen. This technique was applied to the detection of measles IgG antibody in patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) and multiple sclerosis. Normal subjects having experienced natural measles or measles vaccination and patients with various neurological diseases of non-virus nature were also examined as control groups. Measles antibody was detected at high titers in both the sera and cerebrospinal fluid of SSPE patients. Moreover, RIA/HI ratios of SSPE patients were significantly higher than those of normal subjects, suggesting the presence in the formers of antibodies to nucleocapsids at high titers as well as to viral envelopes. On the other hand, no significant difference was found in both RIA and HI titers between the sera of multiple sclerosis and those of various neurological diseases.     

R5X4 viruses are evolutionary, functional, and antigenic intermediates in the pathway of a simian-human immunodeficiency virus coreceptor switch

To examine the pathway of the coreceptor switching of CCR5-using (R5) virus to CXCR4-using (X4) virus in simian-human immunodeficiency virus SHIV(SF162P3N)-infected rhesus macaque BR24, analysis was performed on variants present at 20 weeks postinfection, the time when the signature gp120 V3 loop sequence of the X4 switch variant was first detected by PCR. Unexpectedly, circulating and tissue variants with His/Ile instead of the signature X4 V3 His/Arg insertions predominated at this time point. Phylogenetic analysis of the sequences of the C2 conserved region to the V5 variable loop of the envelope (Env) protein showed that viruses bearing HI insertions represented evolutionary intermediates between the parental SHIV(SF162P3N) and the final X4 HR switch variant. Functional analyses demonstrated that the HI variants were phenotypic intermediates as well, capable of using both CCR5 and CXCR4 for entry. However, the R5X4 intermediate virus entered CCR5-expressing target cells less efficiently than the parental R5 strain and was more sensitive to both CCR5 and CXCR4 inhibitors than either the parental R5 or the final X4 virus. It was also more sensitive than the parental R5 virus to antibody neutralization, especially to agents directed against the CD4 binding site, but not as sensitive as the late X4 virus. Significantly, the V3 loop sequence that determined CXCR4 use also conferred soluble CD4 neutralization sensitivity. Collectively, the data illustrate that, similar to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection in individuals, the evolution from CCR5 to CXCR4 usage in BR24 transitions through an intermediate phase with reduced virus entry and coreceptor usage efficiencies. The data further support a model linking an open envelope gp120 conformation, better CD4 binding, and expansion to CXCR4 usage.     

V domain of human SLAM (CDw150) is essential for its function as a measles virus receptor

Human signaling lymphocytic activation molecule (SLAM; also known as CDw150) has been shown to be a cellular receptor for measles virus (MV). Chinese hamster ovary cells transfected with a mouse SLAM cDNA were not susceptible to MV and the vesicular stomatitis virus pseudotype bearing MV envelope proteins alone, indicating that mouse SLAM cannot act as an MV receptor. To determine the functional domain of the receptor, we tested the abilities of several chimeric SLAM proteins to function as MV receptors. The ectodomain of SLAM comprises the two immunoglobulin superfamily domains (V and C2). Various chimeric transmembrane proteins possessing the V domain of human SLAM were able to act as MV receptors, whereas a chimera consisting of human SLAM containing the mouse V domain instead of the human V domain no longer acted as a receptor. To examine the interaction between SLAM and MV envelope proteins, recombinant soluble forms of SLAM were produced. The soluble molecules possessing the V domain of human SLAM were shown to bind to cells expressing the MV hemagglutinin (H) protein but not to cells expressing the MV fusion protein or irrelevant envelope proteins. These results indicate that the V domain of human SLAM is necessary and sufficient to interact with the MV H protein and allow MV entry.     

Selected immunological reactions to measles virus in immunosuppressed guinea pigs

Cyclophosphamide and hydrocortisone treatment of measles virus infected guinea pigs resulted in suppression of cele- and antibody mediated immune reactions although a high dose of measles virus (10(5.5) TCID50) was used for infection: MIT was delayed and depressed; HI serum antibody response was almost completely inhibited.     

Immune responses during measles infection in immunosuppressed Rhesus monkeys.

Rhesus monkeys immunosuppressed with horse anti-human thymocyte gamma-globulin (ATG) were infected with measles and simultaneously inoculated with sheep erythrocytes (SRBC), a thymus-dependent antigen, and with pneumococcal polysaccaride type III (SSS-III), a thymus-independent antigen. ATG treatment alone suppressed SRBC antibody production, had no effect on SSS-III antibody production, and effectively eliminated circulating T cells compared to nonsuppressed monkeys. ATG treatment of measles-infected monkeys resulted in delayed virus clearance and delayed antibody production compared to nonsuppressed infected monkeys. After cessation of ATG treatment, measles antibodies and T cells reached normal levels, and measles virus was eliminated. Thus, immune clearance of measles virus is T cell-dependent, but the relative roles of cellular- and humoral-mediated immunity in vivo could not be clearly separated. Also, measles infection was associated with a decreased T cell mitogen responsiveness of circulating lymphocytes but not of lymph node lymphocytes, suggesting an altered circulating pattern of the cells responsible for delayed hypersensitivity. Also, measles infection had no effect on T-dependent antibody production to SRBC.     

Biological significance of a human enterovirus B-specific RNA element in the 3' nontranslated region

The secondary structures predicted for the enteroviral 3' nontranslated region (3'NTR) all seem to indicate a conformation consisting of two (X and Y) hairpin structures. The higher-order RNA structure of the 3'NTR appears to exist as an intramolecular kissing interaction between the loops of these two hairpin structures. The enterovirus B-like subgroup possesses an additional stem-loop structure, domain Z, which is not present in the poliovirus-like enteroviruses. It has been suggested that the Z domain originated from a burst of short sequence repetitions (E. V. Pilipenko, S. V. Maslova, A. N. Sinyakov, and V. I. Agol, Nucleic Acids Res. 20:1739-1745, 1992). However, no functional features have yet been ascribed to this enterovirus B-like-specific RNA element in the 3'NTR. In this study, we tested the functional characteristics and biological significance of domain Z. A mutant of the cardiovirulent coxsackievirus group B3 strain Nancy which completely lacked the Z domain and which therefore acquired enterovirus C-like secondary structures exhibited a wild-type growth phenotype, as determined by single-cycle growth analysis with BGM cells. This result proves that the Z domain is virtually dispensable for viral growth in tissue cultures. Partial distortion of the Z domain structure resulted in a disabled virus with reduced growth kinetics, probably due to alternative conformations of the overall structure of the domain. Infection of mice showed that the recombinant coxsackievirus group B3 mutant which completely lacked the Z domain was less virulent. Pancreatic tissues from mice infected with wild-type virus and recombinant virus were equally affected. However, the heart tissue from mice infected with the recombinant virus showed only slight signs of myocarditis. These results suggest that the enterovirus B-like-specific Z domain plays a role in coxsackievirus-induced pathogenesis.     

Antigenic modulation induced by monoclonal antibodies: antibodies to measles virus hemagglutinin alters expression of other viral polypeptides in infected cells

Polyclonal antibody to measles virus can have profound effects on external (outer plasma membrane) as well as internal (cytoplasmic) viral polypeptides expressed in infected cells. The process, termed "antibody-induced antigenic modulation," was further investigated by using monoclonal antibody to several viral polypeptides. Four monoclonal antibodies against the viral hemagglutinin had the ability to decrease the expression of the phosphoprotein, fusion, and membrane protein. A monoclonal antibody to the nucleocapsid protein did not cause these changes. The observed decreases were not due to preferential degradation of viral polypeptides as determined by pulse-chase experiments. Our results indicate that a specific signal to an epitope on the plasma membrane (monoclonal antibody measles virus hemagglutinin) can alter the expression of measles virus phosphoprotein and membrane protein, both polypeptides present in the cytoplasm of infected cells.