Recombinant Measles Virus Vaccine Expressing the Nipah Virus Glycoprotein Protects against Lethal Nipah Virus Challenge

Nipah virus (NiV) is a member of the genus Henipavirus, which emerged in Malaysia in 1998. In pigs, infection resulted in a predominantly non-lethal respiratory disease; however, infection in humans resulted in over 100 deaths. Nipah virus has continued to re-emerge in Bangladesh and India, and person-to-person transmission appeared in the outbreak. Although a number of NiV vaccine studies have been reported, there are currently no vaccines or treatments licensed for human use. In this study, we have developed a recombinant measles virus (rMV) vaccine expressing NiV envelope glycoproteins (rMV-HL-G and rMV-Ed-G). Vaccinated hamsters were completely protected against NiV challenge, while the mortality of unvaccinated control hamsters was 90%. We trialed our vaccine in a non-human primate model, African green monkeys. Upon intraperitoneal infection with NiV, monkeys showed several clinical signs of disease including severe depression, reduced ability to move and decreased food ingestion and died at 7 days post infection (dpi). Intranasal and oral inoculation induced similar clinical illness in monkeys, evident around 9 dpi, and resulted in a moribund stage around 14 dpi. Two monkeys immunized subcutaneously with rMV-Ed-G showed no clinical illness prior to euthanasia after challenge with NiV. Viral RNA was not detected in any organ samples collected from vaccinated monkeys, and no pathological changes were found upon histopathological examination. From our findings, we propose that rMV-NiV-G is an appropriate NiV vaccine candidate for use in humans.     

Parainfluenza Virus 5 Expressing the G Protein of Rabies Virus Protects Mice after Rabies Virus Infection

Rabies remains a major public health threat around the world. Once symptoms appear, there is no effective treatment to prevent death. In this work, we tested a recombinant parainfluenza virus 5 (PIV5) strain expressing the glycoprotein (G) of rabies (PIV5-G) as a therapy for rabies virus infection: we have found that PIV5-G protected mice as late as 6 days after rabies virus infection. PIV5-G is a promising vaccine for prevention and treatment of rabies virus infection.     

Chimeric Virus as a Source of the Potato Leafroll Virus Antigen

Large quantities of potato leafroll virus (PLRV) antigen are difficult to obtain because this virus accumulates in plants at a low titer. To overcome this problem, we constructed a binary vector containing chimeric cDNA, in which the coat protein (CP) gene of the crucifer infecting tobacco mosaic virus (crTMV) was substituted for the coat protein gene of PLRV. The PLRV movement protein (MP) gene, which overlaps completely with the CP gene, was doubly mutated to eliminate priming of the PLRV MP translation from ATG codons with no changes to the amino acid sequence of the CP. The untranslated long intergenic region located upstream of the CP gene was removed from the construct. Transcribed powerful tobamovirus polymerase of the produced vector synthesized PLRV CP gene that was, in turn, translated into the protein. CP PLRV packed RNAs from the helical crTMV in spherical virions. Morphology, size and antigenic specificities of the wild-type and chimeric virus were similar. The yield of isolated chimera was about three orders higher than the yield of native PLRV. The genetic manipulations facilitated the generation of antibodies against the chimeric virus, which recognize the wild-type PLRV.     

Innovative Toolbox for the Quantification of Drosophila C Virus,Drosophila A Virus,and Nora Virus

Quantification of viral replication underlies investigations into host-virus interactions. In Drosophila melanogaster, persistent infections with Drosophila C virus, Drosophila A virus, and Nora virus are commonly observed in nature and in laboratory fly stocks. However, traditional endpoint dilution assays to quantify infectious titers are not compatible with persistently infecting isolates of these viruses that do not cause cytopathic effects in cell culture. Here we present a novel assay based on immunological detection of Drosophila C virus infection that allows quantification of infectious titers for a wider range of Drosophila C virus isolates. We also describe strand specific RT-qPCR assays for quantification of viral negative strand RNA produced during Drosophila C virus, Drosophila A virus, and Nora virus infection. Finally, we demonstrate the utility of these assays for quantification of viral replication during oral infections and persistent infections with each virus.     

Functional Murine Leukemia Virus Vectors Pseudotyped with the Visna Virus Envelope Show Expanded Visna Virus Cell Tropism

Pseudotype virus vectors serve as a powerful tool for the study of virus receptor usage and entry. We describe the development of murine leukemia virus (MuLV) particles pseudotyped with the visna virus envelope glycoprotein and encoding a green fluorescent protein reporter as a tool to study the expression of the visna virus receptor. Functional MuLV/visna virus pseudotypes were obtained when the cytoplasmic tail of the visna virus envelope TM protein was truncated to 3, 7, or 11 amino acids in length. MuLV/visna virus particles were used to transduce a panel of cell types from various organisms, including sheep, goat, human, hamster, mouse, monkey, and quail. The majority of the cells examined were susceptible to MuLV/visna pseudotype viruses, supporting the notion that the visna virus cellular receptor is a widely expressed protein found in many species. Of 16 different cell types tested, only mouse embryo fibroblast NIH 3T3 cells, hamster ovary CHO cells, and the human promonocyte cell line U937 cells were not susceptible to transduction by the pseudotyped virus. The production of functional MuLV/visna virus pseudotypes has provided a sensitive, biologically relevant system to study visna virus cell entry and envelope-receptor interactions.     

Anti-Hepatitis C Virus T-Cell Immunity in the Context of Multiple Exposures to the Virus

Characterisation of Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-specific CD8⁺ T-cell responses in the context of multiple HCV exposures is critical to identify broadly protective immune responses necessary for an effective HCV vaccine against the different HCV genotypes. However, host and viral genetic diversity complicates vaccine development. To compensate for the observed variation in circulating autologous viruses and host molecules that restrict antigen presentation (human leucocyte antigens; HLA), this study used a reverse genomics approach that identified sites of viral adaptation to HLA-restricted T-cell immune pressure to predict genotype-specific HCV CD8⁺ T-cell targets. Peptides representing these putative HCV CD8⁺ T-cell targets, and their adapted form, were used in individualised IFN-γ ELISpot assays to screen for HCV-specific T-cell responses in 133 HCV-seropositive subjects with high-risk of multiple HCV exposures. The data obtained from this study i) confirmed that genetic studies of viral evolution is an effective approach to detect novel in vivo HCV T-cell targets, ii) showed that HCV-specific T-cell epitopes can be recognised in their adapted form and would not have been detected using wild-type peptides and iii) showed that HCV-specific T-cell (but not antibody) responses against alternate genotypes in chronic HCV-infected subjects are readily found, implying clearance of previous alternate genotype infection. In summary, HCV adaptation to HLA Class I-restricted T-cell responses plays a central role in anti-HCV immunity and multiple HCV genotype exposure is highly prevalent in at-risk exposure populations, which are important considerations for future vaccine design.     

Virus Replication in Enucleate Cells: Vesicular Stomatitis Virus and Influenza Virus

The requirement of the presence of a nucleus for the replication of vesicular stomatitis virus and influenza virus has been examined by following the growth and development of these viruses in enucleate BS-C-1 cells. Vesicular stomatitis virus replicates normally in enucleate cells with the rate of production of infectious virus, the amount of virus-specific protein synthesis, and the type of proteins produced being essentially the same in nucleate and enucleate cells. Influenza virus does not replicate in enucleate cells, no virus gene products can be detected, and there is no inhibition of cellular protein synthesis.     

Virus infection of the bone-marrow

Summary From the bone-marrow and the blood of two children who were suffering from a chronic disease characterized by intermittent fever and swelling of the spleen and the liver, a virus pathogenic for mice after intraperitoneal inoculation has been isolated. It could be cultivated in the chick embryo after inoculation in the allantoic cavity.In infected mice a developmental cycle has been shown. According to its properties the virus might be one of the psittacosis-lymphogranuloma venereum group, though an antigenic relationship with the viruses of psittacosis and lymphogranuloma venereum could not be established.     

Infective Virus Substructure from Vesicular Stomatitis Virus

Treatment of suspensions of vesicular stomatitis virus with Tween-ether results in a rapid and considerable loss of infectivity (ca. 4 logs in 2 min), but the residual infectivity is comparatively stable to further treatment with ether. The infectivity remaining after the short exposure to Tween-ether is not due to virus for the following reasons. (i) It is much less infective for tissue cultures than for mice, whereas the intact virion is equally infective for both hosts. (ii) The residual infectivity is much less stable than virus infectivity in both sucrose and tartrate gradients. (iii) Virus immune serum does not neutralize its activity. (iv) The infectivity is associated with material which sediments further in sucrose gradients and has a greater buoyant density in tartrate gradients than the virion. Experiments with (32)P-labeled virion showed that the infective substructure contains ribonucleic acid with the same sedimentation characteristics as that extracted from the virion. Electron microscopy shows that the infective component has the same overall bullet-like structure as the virion but lacks the outer envelope and fringe structure.     

基孔肯雅病毒和辛德毕斯病毒可视化基因芯片与荧光基因芯片的建立

根据GenBank中收录的基孔肯雅病毒和辛德毕斯病毒E蛋白基因序列,设计及筛选针对2种病毒的寡核苷酸探针及引物,制备基孔肯雅病毒与辛德毕斯病毒可视化基因芯片与荧光基因芯片,对芯片的灵敏性、特异性进行了验证,并将可视化基因芯片、荧光基因芯片进行灵敏性比较.结果显示,制备的两种基因芯片都能检测到基孔肯雅病毒和辛德毕斯病毒特异性杂交信号.可视化基因芯片、荧光基因芯片检测两种病毒质粒的灵敏度达到9.1×103 copies/mL, 6.8×101 copies/mL和9.1×104 copies/mL, 6.8×103 copies/mL,与普通PCR比较差异显著. 荧光基因芯片灵敏度是PCR方法的10倍,可视化基因芯片是荧光基因芯片灵敏度的100倍. 模拟病毒检测过程特异性检验证明,可视化基因芯片都具有良好的特异性.本试验建立了基孔肯雅病毒与辛德毕斯病毒两种特异的可视化和荧光基因芯片检测方法,两种方法灵敏度高、特异性强,适用于基孔肯雅病毒与辛德毕斯病毒的流行病学调查和种特异性鉴定.     

HAV病毒液的3种浓缩方法比较

目的：对HAV病毒液的3种常见浓缩方法进行分析比较,为HAV病毒研究及规模化疫苗生产提供参考。方法：使用MILLIPOREPELLICON超滤、PEG6000沉淀、蔗糖．甘油垫三种方法对纯化HAV病毒液进行浓缩,用ELISA方法对浓缩液进行抗原滴度检测,计算不同浓缩方法的回收率。结果：HAV病毒液经过7次超滤循环浓缩,平均回收率为86％;PEG浓缩方法回收率平均72．5％;蔗糖．甘油离心浓缩方法平均回收率53．3％。结论：蔗糖／甘油超离心法,集纯化浓缩一体,适用于样品量较少,需要高浓度样品的试验;PEG浓缩得率适中,操作简单,应用范围较广;超滤膜浓缩在大规模疫苗生产或样品量较大时适用,但需控制样品浓度及浓缩倍数不能太高。以免样品损失。     

HAV病毒液的3种浓缩方法比较

目的:对HAV病毒液的3种常见浓缩方法进行分析比较,为HAV病毒研究及规模化疫苗生产提供参考。方法:使用MILLIPORE PELLICON超滤、PEG 6000沉淀、蔗糖-甘油垫三种方法对纯化HAV病毒液进行浓缩,用ELISA方法对浓缩液进行抗原滴度检测,计算不同浓缩方法的回收率。结果:HAV病毒液经过7次超滤循环浓缩,平均回收率为86%;PEG浓缩方法回收率平均72.5%;蔗糖-甘油离心浓缩方法平均回收率53.3%。结论:蔗糖/甘油超离心法,集纯化浓缩一体,适用于样品量较少,需要高浓度样品的试验;PEG浓缩得率适中,操作简单,应用范围较广;超滤膜浓缩在大规模疫苗生产或样品量较大时适用,但需控制样品浓度及浓缩倍数不能太高,以免样品损失。     

Molecular Genetic Study of the Interaction of Sindbis Virus E2 with Ross River Virus E1 for Virus Budding

Glycoprotein PE2 of Sindbis virus will form a heterodimer with glycoprotein E1 of Ross River virus that is cleaved to an E2/E1 heterodimer and transported to the cell plasma membrane, but this chimeric heterodimer fails to interact with Sindbis virus nucleocapsids, and very little budding to produce mature virus occurs upon infection with chimeric viruses. We have isolated in both Sindbis virus E2 and in Ross River virus E1 a series of suppressing mutations that adapt these two proteins to one another and allow increased levels of chimeric virus production. Two adaptive E1 changes in an ectodomain immediately adjacent to the membrane anchor and five adaptive E2 changes in a 12-residue ectodomain centered on Asp-242 have been identified. One change in Ross River virus E1 (Gln-411→Leu) and one change in Sindbis virus E2 (Asp-248→Tyr) were investigated in detail. Each change individually leads to about a 10-fold increase in virus production, and combined the two changes lead to a 100-fold increase in virus. During passage of a chimeric virus containing Ross River virus E1 and Sindbis virus E2, the E2 change was first selected, followed by the E1 change. Heterodimers containing these two adaptive mutations have a demonstrably increased degree of interaction with Sindbis virus nucleocapsids. In the parental chimera, no interaction between heterodimers and capsids was visible at the plasma membrane in electron microscopic studies, whereas alignment of nucleocapsids along the plasma membrane, indicating interaction of heterodimers with nucleocapsids, was readily seen in the adapted chimera. The significance of these findings in light of our current understanding of alphavirus budding is discussed.     

Electrophoretic Distribution of the Proteins and Glycoproteins of Influenza Virus and Sendai Virus

The proteins of influenza (WSN) and Sendai virus have been separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis into five components. In both cases, three of these components were shown to be glycoproteins containing fucose, galactose, and glucosamine. Two protein components of each virus were probably free from these sugar residues, including the structural unit of the viral ribonucleoprotein (molecular weight of about 60,000 daltons).