A method to detect major serotypes of foot-and-mouth disease virus

Nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA) is an isothermal technique that allows the rapid amplification of specific regions of nucleic acid obtained from a diverse range of sources. It is especially suitable for amplifying RNA sequences. A rapid and specific NASBA technique was developed, allowing the detection of foot-and-mouth disease virus genetic material in a range of sample material, including preserved skin biopsy material from infected animals, vaccines prepared from denatured cell-free material, and cell-free antigen-based detection kits. A single pair of DNA oligonucleotide primers was able to amplify examples of all major FMD virus subtypes. The amplified viral RNA was detected by electrochemiluminescence. The method was at least as sensitive as existing cell-free antigen detection methods.     

Amplification and characterization of bull semen infected naturally with foot-and-mouth disease virus type Asia1 by RT-PCR

To investigate the security of semen biologically, 15 bull semen samples were collected (of which 5 exhibited clinical signs of Foot-and-mouth disease) and identified by RT-PCR and virus isolation. The results indicated that the semen of the infected bulls were contaminated by Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), but FMDV was not detected in semen samples from those bulls not showing clinical signs of Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). This is the first report of the presence of FMDV in bull semen due to natural infection in China. The analysis of the partial sequence of the VP1 gene showed that the virus strain isolated from semen has 97.9% identity with the virus isolated from vesicular liquid of infected bulls showing typical signs of FMD and belonged to the same gene sub-group. Foundation items: State Science and Technology Support Program (2006DAD06A03) and Hi-tech Research and Development Program of China 863 (2006AA10A204).     

Non-capsid proteins to identify foot-and-mouth disease viral circulation in cattle irrespective of vaccination

The ability of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) to establish subclinical and even persistent infection, the so called carrier state, imposes the need to reliably demonstrate absence of viral circulation, to monitor the progress of control measures, either during eradication programs or after reintroduction of virus in free areas. This demonstration becomes critical in immunized populations, because of the concern that silent viral circulation could be hidden by immunization. This concern originates from the fact that vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) protects against clinical disease, but not necessarily against subclinical infection or establishment of the carrier state in cattle. A novel approach, developed and validated at PANAFTOSA during the 1990s, based on an immunoenzymatic system for detection of antibodies against non-capsid proteins (NCP) has proven valuable for monitoring viral circulation within and between herds, irrespective of the vaccination status. Antibodies against NCP are induced during infection but, in principle, not upon vaccination. The validation of this system led to its international recognition as the OIE index test. The fitness of this serosurvey tool to assess viral circulation in systematically vaccinated populations was demonstrated through its extensive application in most regions in South America. The experience attained in these regions supported the incorporation of the "free of FMD with vaccination" provisions into the OIE code. Likewise, it opened the way to alternatives to the "stamping out" policy. The results gave input to an old controversy related to the real epidemiological significance, if any, of carrier animals under the vaccination conditions in South America, and supported the development of recommendations and guidelines that are being implemented for serosurveys that go with control measures in vaccinated populations.     

Advances in novel vaccines for foot and mouth disease: focus on recombinant empty capsids

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious disease of cloven-hoofed animals, which causes severe economic losses in the livestock industry. Currently available vaccines are based on inactivated FMD virus (FMDV). Although inactivated virus vaccines have proved to be effective in FMD control, they have a number of disadvantages, including the need for high bio-containment production facilities and the lack of induction of immunological memory. Novel FMD vaccines based on the use of recombinant empty capsids have shown promising results. These recombinant empty capsids are attractive candidates because they avoid the use of virus in the production facilities but conserve its complete repertoire of conformational epitopes. However, many of these recombinant empty capsids require time-consuming procedures that are difficult to scale up. Achieving production of a novel and efficient FMD vaccine requires not only immunogenic antigens, but also industrially relevant processes. This review intends to summarize and compare the different strategies already published for the production of FMDV recombinant empty capsids, focusing on large-scale production.     

细菌内同源重组法制备FMDV聚蛋白编码基因重组腺病毒

采用PCR方法从重组质粒pMD18_T/PP中扩增出FMDV的聚蛋白(PP)编码基因,再亚克隆至腺病毒穿梭质粒中,形成重组穿梭质粒rpAd_CMV/PP;将获得的重组穿梭质粒与腺病毒骨架载体通过在大肠杆菌内质粒间同源重组获得重组腺病毒质粒rpAd/PP。将腺病毒载体线性化后用脂质体介导转染293细胞从而获得含有口蹄疫病毒PP编码基因的重组腺病毒。通过倒置显微镜观测,可见明显的细胞病变,利用荧光显微镜可观测到报告基因绿色荧光蛋白的表达,并在电镜下观察到FMDV的空衣壳。结果证明已成功获得了含有口蹄疫病毒PP编码基因的重组腺病毒rAd/PP,并成功表达组装FMDV空衣壳,为FMDV腺病毒活载体疫苗的研究奠定了基础。     

Design and synthesis of irreversible inhibitors of foot-and-mouth disease virus 3C protease

Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) causes a highly infectious and economically devastating disease of livestock. The FMDV genome is translated as a single polypeptide precursor that is cleaved into functional proteins predominantly by the highly conserved viral 3C protease, making this enzyme an attractive target for antiviral drugs. A peptide corresponding to an optimal substrate has been modified at the C-terminus, by the addition of a warhead, to produce irreversible inhibitors that react as Michael acceptors with the enzyme active site. Further investigation highlighted key structural determinants for inhibition, with a positively charged P2 being particularly important for potency.     

Serotype and VP1 gene sequence of a foot-and-mouth disease virus from Hong Kong (2002)

The nucleotide sequence of the VP1 coding region of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) strain HKN/2002, isolated from a disease outbreak occurring in Hong Kong in February 2002, was determined and compared with the sequences of other FMDVs. The VP1 coding region was 639 nucleotides in length and encoded a protein of 213 amino acid residues. Comparison of the VP1 nucleotide sequence with those of other isolates indicated that HKN/2002 belonged to serotype O. A VP1-based sequence similarity tree of several South-east Asian FMDV-O isolates showed that HKN/2002 was most closely related to FMDV isolates found in Hong Kong from 1991 to 1999 and Taiwan in 1997. Comparison of the amino acid sequence of the major immunogenic region of HKN/2002 with that of the serotype O vaccine strain, O1/Manisa/Turkey/69, reveals significant similarity, indicating that current serotype O vaccines may offer some degree of protection against HKN/2002.     

B cell epitopes within VP1 of type O foot-and-mouth disease virus for detection of viral antibodies

In this study, the coding region of type O FMDV capsid protein VP1 and a series of codon optimized DNA sequences coding for VP1 amino acid residues 141–160 (epitope1), tandem repeat 200–213 (epitope2 (+2)) and the combination of two epitopes (epitope1–2) was genetically cloned into the prokaryotic expression vector pP_ROExHTb and pGEX4T-1, respectively. VP1 and the fused epitopes GST-E1, GST-E2 (+2) and GST-E1-2 were successfully solubly expressed in the cytoplasm of Escherichia coli and Western blot analysis demonstrated they retained antigenicity. Indirect VP1-ELISA and epitope ELISAs were subsequently developed to screen a panel of 80 field pig sera using LPB-ELISA as a standard test. For VP1-ELISA and all the epitope ELISAs, there were clear distinctions between the FMDV-positive and the FMDV-negative samples. Cross-reactions with pig sera positive to the viruses of swine vesicular disease virus that produce clinically indistinguishable syndromes in pigs or guinea pig antisera to FMDV strains of type A, C and Asia1 did not occur. The relative sensitivity and specificity for the GST-E1 ELISA, GST-E2 (+2), GST-E1-2 ELISA and VP1-ELISA in comparison with LPB-ELISA were 93.3% and 85.0%, 95.0% and 90%, 100% and 81.8%, 96.6% and 80.9% respectively. This study shows the potential use of the aforementioned epitopes as alternatives to the complex antigens used in current detection for antibody to FMDV structural proteins.     

Examining the relationship between secondary structure and antibody recognition in immunopeptides from foot-and-mouth disease virus

Summary The conformation of a peptide that represents antigenic site A of foot-and-mouth disease virus strain C-S8c1 (residues 136–156 of VP1; YTASARGDLAHLTTTHARHLP) has been studied by circular dichroism and compared with three analogs that reproduce amino acid substitutions at position 146 (HisArg, Gln or Asp) which affect antibody recognition. Four other peptides, incorporating replacements at position 147 predicted to maintain (LeuIle, Nle and Ala) or disrupt (LeuGly) helical structure at this site, have also been studied. In aqueous solution or in 4 M urea, the spectra of all eight peptides were typical of aperiodic conformation and independent of concentration or pH. However, upon addition of solvents such as methanol or hexafluoroisopropanol, spectral patterns evidenced significant levels (ca. 50%) of helical structure. The single residue substitutions at positions 146 and 147 caused minor to significant variations in the calculated amount of -helix of the peptides. An attempt to relate these changes in helical content to the antigenic behaviour of the peptides towards five monoclonal antibodies elicited with virus and mapping at site A could not find any straightforward correspondence between the two sets of results. The parent peptide and its His¹⁴⁶Arg analog were also analyzed by circular dichroism in the presence of the Fab fragment of SD6, a monoclonal antibody mapping at site A and much less reactive with viruses carrying the referred mutation. Although a peptide-antibody interaction was evident from spectral changes, careful inspection of the difference spectra (peptide-Fab minus Fab) of both peptides failed to detect any significant distinction between them that could be attributed to their different immunoreactivity. While these findings do not necessarily conflict with previous reports that the interaction of antigenic site A with antibodies is mediated to some extent by the adoption of a helix structure, they suggest that, at least for C-serotype viruses, other structural features in addition to a helical conformation are critically involved in antigenic recognition.     

Comparison of three ELISA kits for the differentiation of foot-and-mouth disease virus-infected from vaccinated animals

A study was performed to validate 3 FMDV 3ABC-I-ELISA kits developed in China for the differentiation of FMDV infected and vaccinated animals. Sets of sera from naive and vaccinated cattle as well as from cattle that had been infected were tested for antibodies against nonstructural proteins (NSPs) of FMDV by commercial diagnosis kits, Ceditest® FMDV-NS (Ceditest® kit), UBI® FMDV NONSTRUCTURAL PROTEIN ELISA DIRECTION INSERT (UBI® kit) and a FMDV 3ABC-I-ELISA kit developed at the Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute. The test parameters (sensitivity and specificity) of the three kits were determined, and the result obtained from FMD 3ABC-I-ELISA kit was compared with that obtained from two foreign kits. The results indicated that the coincidence rate between the FMDV 3ABC-I-ELISA and Ceditest® kits was 98.05%, and the coincidence rate between the FMDV 3ABC-I-ELISA and UBI® kits was 94.4%; the sensitivity of both Ceditest® and FMDV 3ABC-I-ELISA kit was 100%. However, the sensitivity of the UBI® kit was only 81.8%. With sera from naive or vaccinated non-infected animals, the specificity of all tests exceeded 90%.     

High expression of foot-and-mouth disease virus structural protein VP1 in tobacco chloroplasts

A tobacco chloroplast expression vector, pTRVP1, containing the foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) VP1 gene and the selective marker aadA gene, was constructed and transferred to tobacco by biolistic method. Three resistant lines were obtained through spectinomycin selection, and each transgenic line was subjected to a second round of spectinomycin selection. PCR and PCR southern blot analysis revealed that the VP1 gene had integrated into the chloroplast genome. Western blot and quantification ELISA assays indicated that the VP1 gene was expressed in tobacco chloroplasts and accounted for 2–3% of total soluble protein. This suggested that plant chloroplasts were an efficient expression system for the potential production of recombinant antigens in plants.     

嵌合O/GSLX/CHN/2010株S片段的基因工程口蹄疫病毒的生物学特性

【目的】研究嵌合口蹄疫病毒(Foot-and-mouth disease virus,FMDV) O/GSLX/CHN/2010株S片段的基因工程病毒的生物学特性。【方法】运用反向遗传操作技术,将FMDV O/GSLX/CHN/2010的S片段嵌合进2株同谱系FMDV的感染性克隆骨架,拯救得到两株基因工程嵌合病毒rGDexc、rGZexc;进而从病毒复制和病毒对乳鼠的致病力方面,对嵌合病毒、亲本基因工程病毒以及FMDV O/GSLX/CHN/2010株进行了评价。【结果】FMDV O/GSLX/CHN/2010株复制较慢,对乳鼠致病力较差。嵌合病毒和亲本基因工程病毒的复制能力、对乳鼠的致病力明显高于FMDV O/GSLX/CHN/2010株。【结论】研究表明FMDV O/GSLX/CHN/2010的S片段不能独自决定该病毒较差的复制能力和较弱的乳鼠致病力。这一发现为进一步研究O/GSLX/CHN/2010的致弱机制以及S片段对病毒生物学特性的影响奠定了基础。     

一株O型口蹄疫病毒在C57BL/6小鼠和原代细胞的传代及其全序的测定和分析

【目的】旨在成功建立FMDVC57BL/6小鼠的实验感染模型。【方法】采用体内和体外循环适应传代的方法,选取一株对C57BL/6小鼠不敏感FMDVO/HK/CHA/99MF4,将其在C57BL/6小鼠(体内)和胎猪肾原代细胞FPK (体外)进行多次循环适应传代。【结果】成功获得一株对C57BL/6小鼠敏感的FMDVO/HK/CHA/99MF4C5株。【结论】本研究成功建立了FMDV突变株感染C57BL/6小鼠的实验动物模型,为未来FMD疫苗效力的评估和致病性相关的研究奠定了基础。     

Characterization of foot-and-mouth disease virus types O and Asia 1 RNA

Poly (A) RNA was isolated from foot-and-mouth disease virus-infected cells by oligo (dT)-cellulose chromatography. One-dimensional oligonucleotide mapping of virus-induced poly (A) RNA indicated major differences between virus types O and Asia 1. Base composition analysis of virus-induced RNA showed no significant differences between types O and Asia 1.     

Genetic analysis of foot-and-mouth disease virus serotype A of Indian origin and detection of positive selection and recombination in leader protease- and capsid-coding regions

The leader protease (L^pro) and capsid-coding sequences (P1) constitute approximately 3 kb of the foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV). We studied the phylogenetic relationship of 46 FMDV serotype A isolates of Indian origin collected during the period 1968–2005 and also eight vaccine strains using the neighbour-joining tree and Bayesian tree methods. The viruses were categorized under three major groups — Asian, Euro-South American and European. The Indian isolates formed a distinct genetic group among the Asian isolates. The Indian isolates were further classified into different genetic subgroups (<5% divergence). Post-1995 isolates were divided into two subgroups while a few isolates which originated in the year 2005 from Andhra Pradesh formed a separate group. These isolates were closely related to the isolates of the 1970s. The FMDV isolates seem to undergo reverse mutation or convergent evolution wherein sequences identical to the ancestors are present in the isolates in circulation. The eight vaccine strains included in the study were not related to each other and belonged to different genetic groups. Recombination was detected in the L^pro region in one isolate (A IND 20/82) and in the VP1 coding 1D region in another isolate (A RAJ 21/96). Positive selection was identified at aa positions 23 in the L^pro (P<0.05; 0.046*) and at aa 171 in the capsid protein VP1 (P<0.01; 0.003**).     

猪O型口蹄疫病毒细菌样颗粒疫苗的制备与免疫原性鉴定

验证基于革兰氏阳性增强基质(Gram-positive enhancer matrix,GEM)展示口蹄疫病毒细菌样颗粒(Bacteria-like particles,BLP)疫苗的可行性。按照大肠杆菌偏好性密码子优化合成基于猪口蹄疫病毒Mya98株序列的3种抗原基因设计,并将其插入到含有锚钩蛋白基因的原核表达载体p QZ-PA,鉴定阳性后转入Escherichia coli BL21,进行诱导表达。利用SDS-PAGE与Western blotting对目的基因表达及产物的可溶性进行分析。利用GEM颗粒纯化目的蛋白,制备细菌样颗粒疫苗抗原;利用BCA试剂盒测定重组蛋白的浓度,将重组蛋白与白油佐剂乳化,制备疫苗,免疫5周龄小鼠,同时设商品化多肽苗对照与空白对照,免疫后不同时间采集试验小鼠血清,利用口蹄疫病毒多肽ELISA抗体检测试剂盒和O型口蹄疫抗体液相阻断酶联免疫(Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,ELISA)检测试剂盒检测免疫小鼠血清的抗体水平;利用噻唑蓝比色法(Methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide,MTT)测定淋巴细胞增殖情况;利用荧光定量PCR方法检测相关细胞因子表达,评价细胞免疫水平。SDS-PAGE结果表明,设计在大肠杆菌中的3种口蹄疫病毒抗原基因均以可溶形式获得高效表达;Western blotting结果显示,表达的重组蛋白能够与口蹄疫病毒阳性血清发生反应,利用GEM颗粒能够实现重组蛋白的一步离心纯化,制备BLP疫苗抗原;免疫试验结果表明,设计的重组抗原B(T1BT2)4B不但能够刺激免疫小鼠产生更高水平的多肽特异性ELISA抗体与口蹄疫特异性液相阻断抗体,而且产生了更高水平的脾淋巴细胞增殖及Th1型的细胞因子分泌。初步实验结果表明,本研究制备的BLP疫苗GEM-B(T1BT2)4B具有良好的免疫原性,为研究口蹄疫病毒基因工程亚单位疫苗开辟了一条新的思路。     

Preparation and characterization of monoclonal antibodies against VP1 protein of foot-and-mouth disease virus O/China99

Monoclonal antibodies (McAbs) 1A9 and 9F12 against Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) serotype O were produced by fusing SP2/0 myeloma cells with splenocyte from the mouse immunized with O/China99. Both McAbs reacted with O/China99 but not with Asia 1, as determined by immunohistochemistry assay. The microneutralization titer of the McAbs 1A9 and 9F12 were 640 and 1 280, respectively. Both McAbs contain kappa light chains, but the McAbs 1A9 and 9F12 were IgG1 and IgM, respectively. In order to define the McAbs binding epitopes, the reactivity of these McAbs against VP1, P20 and P14 were examined using indirect ELISA, the result showed that both McAbs reacted with VP1 and P20. McAbs may be used for further studies of vaccine, diagnostic methods, prophylaxis, etiological and immunological researches on FMDV.