In vitro characterization of a koala retrovirus

Recently, a new endogenous koala gammaretrovirus, designated KoRV, was isolated from koalas. The KoRV genome shares 78% nucleotide identity with another gammaretrovirus, gibbon ape leukemia virus (GALV). KoRV is endogenous in koalas, while GALV is exogenous, suggesting that KoRV predates GALV and that gibbons and koalas acquired the virus at different times from a common source. We have determined that subtle adaptive differences between the KoRV and GALV envelope genes account for differences in their receptor utilization properties. KoRV represents a unique example of a gammaretrovirus whose envelope has evolved to allow for its expanded host range and zoonotic potential.     

Discovery of a Novel Retrovirus Sequence in an Australian Native Rodent (Melomys burtoni): A Putative Link between Gibbon Ape Leukemia Virus and Koala Retrovirus

Gibbon ape leukaemia virus (GALV) and koala retrovirus (KoRV) share a remarkably close sequence identity despite the fact that they occur in distantly related mammals on different continents. It has previously been suggested that infection of their respective hosts may have occurred as a result of a species jump from another, as yet unidentified vertebrate host. To investigate possible sources of these retroviruses in the Australian context, DNA samples were obtained from 42 vertebrate species and screened using PCR in order to detect proviral sequences closely related to KoRV and GALV. Four proviral partial sequences totalling 2880 bases which share a strong similarity with KoRV and GALV were detected in DNA from a native Australian rodent, the grassland melomys, Melomys burtoni. We have designated this novel gammaretrovirus Melomys burtoni retrovirus (MbRV). The concatenated nucleotide sequence of MbRV shares 93% identity with the corresponding sequence from GALV-SEATO and 83% identity with KoRV. The geographic ranges of the grassland melomys and of the koala partially overlap. Thus a species jump by MbRV from melomys to koalas is conceivable. However the genus Melomys does not occur in mainland South East Asia and so it appears most likely that another as yet unidentified host was the source of GALV.     

p53对TGEV感染PK-15细胞4种免疫调节因子mRNA转录水平的影响

为探究p53对IFN-α、MIP-1α、PGK-1、TGF-β1四种免疫调节因子在TGEV感染PK-15细胞中的影响,本研究首先采用CRISPR-Cas9慢病毒系统靶向于PK-15细胞的p53基因构建p53基因敲除(p53-/-)的细胞;再以感染复数为0.1 MOI的TGEV感染p53野生型(p53+/+)和p53-/-PK-15细胞,于不同的感染时间收集细胞并提取细胞总RNA,应用实时荧光定量PCR(qRT-PCR)技术检测四种细胞因子的转录水平。结果表明,构建的靶向于p53基因敲除的PK-15细胞中,p53基因的454碱基位点缺失一个碱基T,细胞的p53蛋白已检测不到;TGEV感染后IFN-αmRNA的相对表达量在两种细胞中均表现为先上升后下降的趋势,但在病毒感染的36 h之前,p53-/-PK-15细胞中的表达量显著低于p53+/+PK-15细胞(p<0.05);MIP-1αmRNA相对表达量随着病毒感染时间的推移而递增,且在p53+/+PK-15细胞中显著高于p53-/-PK-15细胞(p<0.05);TGF-β1 mRNA的相对表达量在p53+/+PK-15细胞中随时间推移总体呈递减趋势,并在病毒感染(post infection,p.i.)12 h之后显著低于p53-/-PK-15细胞(p<0.05);PGK-1 mRNA相对表达量在病毒感染的12 h p53+/+PK-15细胞中虽略有上升,但差异不显著,而在p53-/-PK-15细胞中呈现时间依赖性递增,并显著高于p53+/+PK-15细胞(p<0.05)。以上结果表明:p53对TGEV感染PK-15细胞后的细胞免疫因子起到了关键的调节作用,推测其可能在宿主抗TGEV感染中发挥着重要作用。     

Seoul virus infection increases aggressive behaviour in male Norway rats

In natural populations of rodents, males are more likely to engage in aggression and be infected with hantaviruses than females. Whether the relationship between hantavirus infection and aggression is due to host- or parasite-mediated mechanisms is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine whether hantavirus infection causes an increase in aggression in male rats and whether these behavioural changes are due to infection of the central nervous system or peripheral tissues. Male laboratory rats were infected with Seoul virus and tested for aggression in a resident-intruder paradigm 15 and 30 days postinoculation (p.i.). Males tested 30 days p.i. (i.e. during the persistent phase of infection) spent more time engaged in aggression than either uninfected males or males tested during the acute phase of infection (i.e. 15 days p.i.). Males that engaged in aggression for a longer duration had more virus present in lung, kidney and testis than males that spent less time engaged in aggression. Infected males shed virus in saliva, faeces, and urine; virus shedding, however, was not correlated with aggression and neither wounding nor transmission of virus to intruder males occurred during behavioural tests. Infection with Seoul virus did not alter either testosterone or corticosterone concentrations. Seoul virus antigens were not detected in the brains of infected rats. These data suggest that hantavirus infection leads to elevated aggression in infected males and may be a by-product of increased virus replication in peripheral tissues.     

Role of IL-15 on monocytic resistance to human herpesvirus 6 infection

Interleukin-15 (IL-15) is a cytokine that possesses a variety of biological functions, including stimulation and maintenance of cellular immune responses. Recently, it has been demonstrated that Human Herpes virus type 6 (HHV-6) enhances NK activity of human PBMC by inducing IL-15. HHV-6 is a typical immunosuppressive agent, as suggested by its tropism for both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, B cells, monocytes/macrophages, megakaryocytes and NK cells. Moreover, several studies have indicated that mononuclear phagocyte resistance to virus infection is influenced by the cellular differentiation state. This paper describes the effect of pretreatment "in vitro" with IL-15 on the resistance of human monocytes (HM) to HHV-6 infection. Our results demonstrate that undifferentiated HM were highly resistant to HHV-6 infection, whereas HM pretreated with human recombinant IL-15 showed an increased permissiveness for HHV-6 infection. This permissiveness was characterised by higher release of extracellular virus as well as an increased percentage of antigen positive cells. Moreover, we evaluated IL-15 production after the addition of HHV-6 to monocytes precultured in different experimental conditions. Our data indicate that HHV-6-induced IL-15 production by human monocytes is not affected by the condition of "in vitro" precultivation/differentiation. Furthermore, the neutralization of IL-15 induced by HHV-6 in differentiated monocytes did not affect viral replication. These findings suggest that IL-15 acts only on the mechanisms of cellular differentiation, rendering HM more susceptible to HHV-6 infection, without interfering with virus replication.     

Baculovirus per os Infectivity Factors Are Involved in HearNPV ODVs Infection of HzAM1 Cells in vitro

Baculoviruses produce two viral phenotypes, the budded virus (BV) and the occlusion-derived virus (ODV). ODVs are released from occlusion bodies in the midgut where they initiate a primary infection. Due to the lack of an in vitro system, the molecular mechanism of ODV infection is still unclear. Here we present data demonstrating that Helicoverpa armigera nucleopolyhedrovirus (HearNPV) ODV infected cultured Hz-AM1 cells in a pH dependent manner. The optimal pH for ODV infection was 8.5, which is same to that in the microvilli of midgut epithelial cells, the ODV native infection sites. Antibodies neutralization analysis indicated that four HearNPV oral infection essential genes p74, pif-1, pif-2 and pif-3 are also essential for HearNPV ODV infection in vitro. Thus, HearNPV-HzAM1 system can be used to analyze the mechanism of ODV entry.     

Baculovirus per os Infectivity Factors Are Involved in HearNPV ODVs Infection of HzAM1 Cells in vitro

Baculoviruses produce two viral phenotypes, the budded virus （BV） and the occlusion-derived virus （ODV）. ODVs are released from occlusion bodies in the midgut where they initiate a primary infection. Due to the lack of an in vitro system, the molecular mechanism of ODV infection is still unclear. Here we present data demonstrating that Helicoverpa armigera nucleopolyhedrovirus （HearNPV） ODV infected cultured Hz-AM1 cells in a pH dependent manner. The optimal pH for ODV infection was 8.5, which is same to that in the microvilli of midgut epithelial cells, the ODV native infection sites. Antibodies neutralization analysis indicated that four HearNPV oral infection essential genes p74, pif-l, pif-2 and pif-3 are also essential for HearNPV ODV infection in vitro. Thus, HearNPV-HzAM1 system can be used to analyze the mechanism of ODV entry.     

Cleavage of p15 protein in vitro by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 protease is RNA dependent.

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) gag polyprotein is processed by the viral protease to yield the structural proteins of the virus. One of these structural proteins, p15, and its protease cleavage products, p7 and p6, are believed to be responsible for the viral RNA binding which is prerequisite for assembly of infectious virions. To better understand potential interactions between viral RNA, p15, and the HIV protease, we have synthesized p15 in an in vitro system and studied its processing by the viral protease. Using this system, we demonstrate that p15 synthesized in vitro is properly cleaved by the HIV protease in an RNA-dependent reaction. Mutation of cysteine residues in either zinc-binding domain of the p7 portion of p15 does not alter the RNA-dependent cleavage, but mutation of three basic residues located between the zinc-binding domains blocks HIV protease susceptibility. The results support a previously unrecognized role for the interaction of RNA and nucleocapsid-containing gag precursors that may have important consequences for virus assembly.     

African swine fever virus protein p54 interacts with the microtubular motor complex through direct binding to light-chain dynein

Dynein is a minus-end-directed microtubule-associated motor protein involved in cargo transport in the cytoplasm. African swine fever virus (ASFV), a large DNA virus, hijacks the microtubule motor complex cellular transport machinery during virus infection of the cell through direct binding of virus protein p54 to the light chain of cytoplasmic dynein (LC8). Interaction of p54 and LC8 occurs both in vitro and in cells, and the two proteins colocalize at the microtubular organizing center during viral infection. p50/dynamitin, a dominant-negative inhibitor of dynein-dynactin function, impeded ASFV infection, suggesting an essential role for dynein during virus infection. A 13-amino-acid domain of p54 was sufficient for binding to LC8, an SQT motif within this domain being critical for this binding. Direct binding of a viral structural protein to LC8, a small molecule of the dynein motor complex, could constitute a molecular mechanism for microtubule-mediated virus transport.     

Identification of cellular factors required for the budding of koala retrovirus

Koala retrovirus (KoRV) is a unique gammaretrovirus that is currently endogenizing into its host and considered to be associated with leukemia, lymphoma and immunosuppression in koalas (Phascolactos cinereus). In this study, it was demonstrated that WWP2 or WWP2‐like E3 ubiquitin ligases possessing the WW domain closely related to WWP2 and Vps4A/B are involved in KoRV budding. These data suggest that KoRV Gag recruits the cellular endosomal sorting complex required for transport machinery through interaction of the PPPY L ‐domain with the WW domain(s) of WWP2 and that progeny virions are released from cells by utilizing the multivesicular body sorting pathway.     

病毒性肺炎患者外周血干扰素刺激基因15 mRNA表达特征的研究

通过分析病毒性肺炎患者外周血干扰素刺激基因15(interferon stimulated gene 15,ISG15)mRNA在感染状态下的特征性表达,探究ISG15与病毒性肺炎发病机制及疾病活动性之间的可能联系,为探索特异性呼吸道病毒感染的宿主生物标志物提供依据.本研究共收集157例社区获得性肺炎(communit...     

Protective efficacy of nonneutralizing monoclonal antibodies in acute infection with murine leukemia virus.

We have used an experimental retrovirus infection to study the roles played by different antibodies in resistance to both infection and disease. A molecularly cloned chimeric murine leukemia virus was used to induce acute lethal neurological disease in neonatal mice. A panel of monoclonal antibodies directed against the Gag and Env proteins was tested for protective efficacy. In vitro neutralization assays demonstrated that anti-Env antibodies gave different degrees of neutralization, while no anti-Gag neutralized the virus. In vivo experimental endpoints were onset of clinical signs and premoribund condition. As expected, different anti-Env antibodies demonstrated different degrees of protection which correlated with their neutralizing abilities. Surprisingly, anti-Gag antibodies directed against both p15 (MA protein) and p30 (CA protein) were also protective, significantly delaying the onset of disease. No protection was seen with either of two control antibodies. The protection with anti-Gag was dose related and time dependent and was also produced with Fab fragments. Treatment with anti-Gag did not prevent viremia but resulted in a slight slowing in viremia kinetics and decreased levels of virus in the central nervous systems of mice protected from disease. These data indicate that nonneutralizing antiretroviral antibodies can influence the outcome of retroviral disease. The data also suggest a functional role for cell surface expression of Gag proteins on murine leukemia virus-infected cells.     

The anti-HIV-1 effect of scutellarin

Scutellarin was purified from the plant Erigeron breviscapus (Vant.) Hand.-Mazz. The activity against 3 strains of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was determined in vitro in this study. These were laboratory-derived virus (HIV-1IIIB), drug-resistant virus (HIV-1(74V)), and low-passage clinical isolated virus (HIV-1(KM018)). From syncytia inhibition study, the EC50 of scutellarin against HIV-1IIIB direct infection in C8166 cells was 26 microM with a therapeutic index of 36. When the mode of infection changed from acute infection to cell-to-cell infection, this compound became even more potent and the EC50 reduced to 15 microM. This suggested that cell fusion might be affected by this compound. By comparing the inhibitory effects on p24 antigen, scutellarin was also found to be active against HIV-1(74V) (EC50 253 microM) and HIV-1KM018 (EC50 136 microM) infection with significant difference in potency. The mechanism of its action was also explored in this study. At a concentration of 433 microM, scutellarin inhibited 48% of the cell free recombinant HIV-1 RT activity. It also caused 82% inhibition of HIV-1 particle attachment and 45% inhibition of fusion at the concentrations of 54 microM. In summary, scutellarin was found to inhibit several strains of HIV-1 replication with different potencies. It appeared to inhibit HIV-1 RT activity, HIV-1 particle attachment and cell fusion. These are essential activities for viral transmission and replication.     

Pathogenicity of molecularly cloned bovine leukemia virus.

To delineate the mechanisms of bovine leukemia virus (BLV) pathogenesis, four full-length BLV clones, 1, 8, 9, and 13, derived from the transformed cell line FLK-BLV and a clone construct, pBLV913, were introduced into bovine spleen cells by microinjection. Microinjected cells exhibited cytopathic effects and produced BLV p24 and gp51 antigens and infectious virus. The construct, pBLV913, was selected for infection of two sheep by inoculation of microinjected cells. After 15 months, peripheral blood mononuclear cells from these sheep served as inocula for the transfer of infection to four additional sheep. All six infected sheep seroconverted to BLV and had detectable BLV DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells after amplification by polymerase chain reaction. Four of the six sheep developed altered B/T-lymphocyte ratios between 33 and 53 months postinfection. One sheep died of unrelated causes, and one remained hematologically normal. Two of the affected sheep developed B lymphocytosis comparable to that observed in animals inoculated with peripheral blood mononuclear cells from BLV-infected cattle. This expanded B-lymphocyte population was characterized by elevated expression of B-cell surface markers, spontaneous blastogenesis, virus expression in vitro, and increased, polyclonally integrated provirus. One of these two sheep developed lymphocytic leukemia-lymphoma at 57 months postinfection. Leukemic cells had the same phenotype and harbored a single, monoclonally integrated provirus but produced no virus after in vitro cultivation. The range in clinical response to in vivo infection with cloned BLV suggests an important role for host immune response in the progression of virus replication and pathogenesis.     

Translation of type C viral RNAs in Xenopus laevis oocytes: evidence that the 120,000-molecular-weight polyprotein expressed in Abelson leukemia virus-transformed cells is virus coded.

The genomic RNA of Abelson leukemia virus (AbLV) has been purified and translated in Xenopus laevis oocytes. The primary AbLV-specific protein synthesized is a polyprotein corresponding in molecular weight and immunological properties to a previously described p15 and p12 containing 110,000- to 130,000-molecular-weight polyprotein expressed in AbLV-transformed cells. In contrast, translation of woolly monkey sarcoma virus genomic RNA resulted in symthesis of a 55,000-molecular-weight polyprotein consisting of woolly helper virus p30, p15, and p12. These findings demonstrate the value of the X. laevis oocyte in vitro system for studies of translational products of replication-defective transforming viruses and establish the virus-coded nature of the nonstructural component of the 110,000- to 130,000-molecular-weight polyprotein expressed in AbLV-transformed cells.     

Order of assembly of the lower collar and the tail proteins of Bacillus subtilis bacteriophage phi 29.

Extracts obtained after restrictive infection of Bacillus subtilis with mutants in cistron 11 of bacteriophage phi 29 are complemented in vitro by extract donors of the lower collar protein (p11). Purified 11- heads, containing the major capsid protein (p8), the fiber protein (p8.5), the upper collar protein (p10), and the virus DNA, can be also complemented in vitro to produce infective virus. This result suggests that 11- heads are intermediates in phage phi 29 morphogenesis. The order of assembly of the lower collar protein p11 and the tail protein p9 was determined in vitro in two complementation steps. The results obtained indicate that the lower collar protein is assembled before the tail protein.     

Association of bovine embryos produced by in vitro fertilization with a noncytopathic strain of bovine viral diarrhea virus type II

In the first experiment, heifers were infected experimentally with bovine viral diarrhea virus type II (BVDV-type II, strain CD87; characterized by high morbidity and mortality). Subsequently, in vitro fertilized embryos were produced from oocytes collected on Day 4, 8, and 16 post infection. In a total of 29 heifers, the infectious virus was detected in 55% of the samples of the follicular fluid, in 10% of the oviductal cells, in 10% of the uterine flushes and in 41% of the in vitro fertilized embryos. The highest number of embryos associated with the virus was detected in the group of animals slaughtered on Day 8 post infection (58%). The amount of the virus (10(1.5-2.0) TCID50/mL) associated with the washed single embryos generated from oocytes of heifers 8 and 16 d post infection was sufficient for disease transmission by intravenous inoculation to the seronegative recipients (6/15). In the second experiment, uninfected oocytes were exposed in vitro to BVDV (10(5) TCID50/mL) in the maturation medium and then fertilized and cultured prior to viral assay. Virus was detected in 4 of 7 samples containing embryos but not in samples of embryos produced from the control group of uninfected oocytes. The presence of BVDV in the IVF system did not affect embryonic development in vitro. In conclusion, it appears that BVDV-type II has the ability to be transferred with oocytes through the IVF system, resulting in infectious embryos with normal morphological appearance which may have a potential for disease transmission.