Prior Infection of Chickens with H1N1 or H1N2 Avian Influenza Elicits Partial Heterologous Protection against Highly Pathogenic H5N1

There is a critical need to have vaccines that can protect against emerging pandemic influenza viruses. Commonly used influenza vaccines are killed whole virus that protect against homologous and not heterologous virus. Using chickens we have explored the possibility of using live low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) A/goose/AB/223/2005 H1N1 or A/WBS/MB/325/2006 H1N2 to induce immunity against heterologous highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A/chicken/Vietnam/14/2005 H5N1. H1N1 and H1N2 replicated in chickens but did not cause clinical disease. Following infection, chickens developed nucleoprotein and H1 specific antibodies, and reduced H5N1 plaque size in vitro in the absence of H5 neutralizing antibodies at 21 days post infection (DPI). In addition, heterologous cell mediated immunity (CMI) was demonstrated by antigen-specific proliferation and IFN-γ secretion in PBMCs re-stimulated with H5N1 antigen. Following H5N1 challenge of both pre-infected and naïve controls chickens housed together, all naïve chickens developed acute disease and died while H1N1 or H1N2 pre-infected chickens had reduced clinical disease and 70–80% survived. H1N1 or H1N2 pre-infected chickens were also challenged with H5N1 and naïve chickens placed in the same room one day later. All pre-infected birds were protected from H5N1 challenge but shed infectious virus to naïve contact chickens. However, disease onset, severity and mortality was reduced and delayed in the naïve contacts compared to directly inoculated naïve controls. These results indicate that prior infection with LPAI virus can generate heterologous protection against HPAI H5N1 in the absence of specific H5 antibody.     

用电穿孔方法研究 H5N1 禽流感病毒DNA 疫苗对动物的免疫保护作用

为了研究 H5N1 DNA 疫苗对小鼠和鸡的保护效率,用 H5N1 禽流感病毒 HA DNA 疫苗免疫 BALB/c 小鼠和 SPF 鸡 . 小鼠和鸡分别经电穿孔和肌肉注射免疫两次,间隔为 3 周 . 二次免疫后,用致死量的同源病毒进行攻毒实验 . 空白对照组在攻毒后全部死亡,而经电穿孔免疫的小鼠和鸡均获得了完全的保护,并能有效地抑制病毒在小鼠肺脏和鸡泄殖腔的繁殖 . 同时,电穿孔免疫的小鼠和鸡均产生了高水平的特异性抗体 . 经电穿孔免疫的小鼠攻毒后 CTL 反应明显加强 . 这些结果表明, HA DNA 疫苗能有效地保护小鼠和鸡对禽流感病毒的感染,同时也表明电穿孔免疫是 DNA 疫苗免疫的有效途径之一 .     

Transcriptome and proteome analysis of tyrosine kinase inhibitor treated canine mast cell tumour cells identifies potentially kit signaling-dependent genes

Background

Control of currently circulating re-assorted low-pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI) H9N2 is a major concern for both animal and human health. Thus, an improved LPAI H9N2 vaccination strategy is needed to induce complete immunity in chickens against LPAI H9N2 virus strains. Cytokines play a crucial role in mounting both the type and extent of an immune response generated following infection with a pathogen or after vaccination. To improve the efficacy of inactivated LPAI H9N2 vaccine, attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium was used for oral co-administration of chicken interferon-?? (chIFN-??) and chicken interleukin-18 (chIL-18) as natural immunomodulators.

Results

Oral co-administration of S. enterica serovar Typhimurium expressing chIFN-?? and chIL-18, prior to vaccination with inactivated AI H9N2 vaccine, modulated the immune response of chickens against the vaccine antigen through enhanced humoral and Th1-biased cell-mediated immunity, compared to chickens that received single administration of S. enterica serovar Typhimurium expressing either chIFN-?? or chIL-18. To further test the protective efficacy of this improved vaccination regimen, immunized chickens were intra-tracheally challenged with a high dose of LPAI H9N2 virus. Combined administration of S. enterica serovar Typhimurium expressing chIFN-?? and chIL-18 showed markedly enhanced protection compared to single administration of the construct, as determined by mortality, clinical severity, and feed and water intake. This enhancement of protective immunity was further confirmed by reduced rectal shedding and replication of AIV H9N2 in different tissues of challenged chickens.

Conclusions

Our results indicate the value of combined administration of chIFN-?? and chIL-18 using a Salmonella vaccine strain to generate an effective immunization strategy in chickens against LPAI H9N2.     

Cross-reactive, cell-mediated immunity and protection of chickens from lethal H5N1 influenza virus infection in Hong Kong poultry markets

In 1997, avian H5N1 influenza virus transmitted from chickens to humans resulted in 18 confirmed infections. Despite harboring lethal H5N1 influenza viruses, most chickens in the Hong Kong poultry markets showed no disease signs. At this time, H9N2 influenza viruses were cocirculating in the markets. We investigated the role of H9N2 influenza viruses in protecting chickens from lethal H5N1 influenza virus infections. Sera from chickens infected with an H9N2 influenza virus did not cross-react with an H5N1 influenza virus in neutralization or hemagglutination inhibition assays. Most chickens primed with an H9N2 influenza virus 3 to 70 days earlier survived the lethal challenge of an H5N1 influenza virus, but infected birds shed H5N1 influenza virus in their feces. Adoptive transfer of T lymphocytes or CD8(+) T cells from inbred chickens (B(2)/B(2)) infected with an H9N2 influenza virus to naive inbred chickens (B(2)/B(2)) protected them from lethal H5N1 influenza virus. In vitro cytotoxicity assays showed that T lymphocytes or CD8(+) T cells from chickens infected with an H9N2 influenza virus recognized target cells infected with either an H5N1 or H9N2 influenza virus in a dose-dependent manner. Our findings indicate that cross-reactive cellular immunity induced by H9N2 influenza viruses protected chickens from lethal infection with H5N1 influenza viruses in the Hong Kong markets in 1997 but permitted virus shedding in the feces. Our findings are the first to suggest that cross-reactive cellular immunity can change the outcome of avian influenza virus infection in birds in live markets and create a situation for the perpetuation of H5N1 influenza viruses.     

应用跨膜区置换的血凝素蛋白建立H7N9禽流感病毒抗体间接ELISA检测方法

【目的】由于H7N9禽流感病毒能够感染鸡,并且已经变异成了高致病性毒株,因此,鸡群中H7N9禽流感疫苗的免疫是一个趋势,而鸡群免疫后抗体检测方法的建立也十分必要。本研究旨在建立一种灵敏、高效、高通量的鸡群H7N9亚型禽流感病毒抗体间接酶联免疫吸附试验(ELISA)检测方法。【方法】通过昆虫杆状病毒表达系统分别表达属于W1、W2-A和W2-B分支H7N9流感病毒的3种野生型血凝素(HA)蛋白,以及跨膜区(TM)置换为H3 HA TM的W2-B分支HA蛋白(H7-53TM)。4种HA蛋白经过离子交换层析纯化后作为抗原,通过ELISA检测H7N9禽流感病毒抗体。【结果】ELISA特异性、敏感性和重复性试验结果显示,跨膜区置换主要影响HA蛋白ELISA检测的重复性,以H7-53TM为抗原的ELISA方法具有较好的重复性,其批内和批间变异系数小于10%,然而3种野生型HA蛋白与部分血清反应批内和批间变异系数大于10%,重复性较差,因此选择H7-53TM蛋白作为ELISA包被抗原。通过受试者工作特征曲线(ROC曲线)分析,以H7-53TM为抗原的ELISA能够精准地区分H7N9亚型流感病毒抗体阳性和阴性血清。通过相关性分析,该ELISA方法与134份鸡血清HI试验结果具有显著强相关性(r=0.854 6,P0.000 1),并且与3个分支疫苗株免疫血清的HI试验结果也具有显著相关性(r0.5,P0.05)。【结论】跨膜区置换能够提高HA蛋白抗原检测H7N9禽流感病毒抗体的重复性,并应用跨膜区置换的HA蛋白建立了一种能够检测不同分支疫苗株免疫的H7N9亚型禽流感病毒抗体间接ELISA检测方法。     

Avian influenza virus

Recent outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in chickens and ducks that occurred in 9 Asian countries including Japan alarmed to realize that there is no border for infections and gave a rise to great concern for human health as well as for agriculture. This H5N1 virus jumped the species barrier and caused severe disease with high mortality in humans in Viet Nam and Thailand; 15 deaths of 22 cases and 8 of 12, respectively. A second concern was the possibility that the situation could give rise to another influenza pandemic in humans since genetic reassortment may occur between avian and human influenza viruses when a person is concurrently infected with viruses from both species. This process of gene swapping inside the human body can give rise to a new subtype of the influenza virus to which humans would not have immunity. The outbreaks also emphasized the need to continue active surveillance on avian influenza throughout the year to undertake aggressive emergency control measures as soon as an infection is detected.     

High susceptibility of human dendritic cells to avian influenza H5N1 virus infection and protection by IFN-alpha and TLR ligands

There is worldwide concern that the avian influenza H5N1 virus, with a mortality rate of >50%, might cause the next influenza pandemic. Unlike most other influenza infections, H5N1 infection causes a systemic disease. The underlying mechanisms for this effect are still unclear. In this study, we investigate the interplay between avian influenza H5N1 and human dendritic cells (DC). We showed that H5N1 virus can infect and replicate in monocyte-derived and blood myeloid DC, leading to cell death. These results suggest that H5N1 escapes viral-specific immunity, and could disseminate via DC. In contrast, blood pDC were resistant to infection and produced high amounts of IFN-alpha. Addition of this cytokine to monocyte-derived DC or pretreatment with TLR ligands protected against infection and the cytopathic effects of H5N1 virus.     

禽呼肠孤病毒感染对鸡法氏囊及免疫应答的影响

研究LY株禽呼肠孤病毒(ARV)感染1日龄SPF鸡后对法氏囊发育影响,对传染性法氏囊病毒(IBDV)、禽流感病毒(AIV)、新城疫病毒(NDV)疫苗免疫诱发的抗体的影响,及对强毒株IBDV致病作用的影响。结果表明,LY株ARV感染1日龄SPF鸡可引起法氏囊萎缩和部分淋巴细胞减少,但对增重及AIV和NDV疫苗免疫后抗体滴度却没有显著影响。ARV感染可降低弱毒IBDV疫苗免疫后的抗体反应,但对随后IBDV强毒株攻毒的抵抗力却与对照鸡无显著差异。经IBDV弱毒疫苗免疫后,再接种强毒株IBDV,不会引起死亡,但却仍能显著抑制对AIV、NDV疫苗免疫后的抗体滴度。然而,对于1~7日龄经ARV感染的鸡,IBDV强毒的这种免疫抑制作用又显著低于未经ARV感染的对照鸡。     

Generation of Influenza Virus from Avian Cells Infected by Salmonella Carrying the Viral Genome

Domestic poultry serve as intermediates for transmission of influenza A virus from the wild aquatic bird reservoir to humans, resulting in influenza outbreaks in poultry and potential epidemics/pandemics among human beings. To combat emerging avian influenza virus, an inexpensive, heat-stable, and orally administered influenza vaccine would be useful to vaccinate large commercial poultry flocks and even migratory birds. Our hypothesized vaccine is a recombinant attenuated bacterial strain able to mediate production of attenuated influenza virus in vivo to induce protective immunity against influenza. Here we report the feasibility and technical limitations toward such an ideal vaccine based on our exploratory study. Five 8-unit plasmids carrying a chloramphenicol resistance gene or free of an antibiotic resistance marker were constructed. Influenza virus was successfully generated in avian cells transfected by each of the plasmids. The Salmonella carrier was engineered to allow stable maintenance and conditional release of the 8-unit plasmid into the avian cells for recovery of influenza virus. Influenza A virus up to 10⁷ 50% tissue culture infective doses (TCID₅₀)/ml were recovered from 11 out of 26 co-cultures of chicken embryonic fibroblasts (CEF) and Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells upon infection by the recombinant Salmonella carrying the 8-unit plasmid. Our data prove that a bacterial carrier can mediate generation of influenza virus by delivering its DNA cargoes into permissive host cells. Although we have made progress in developing this Salmonella influenza virus vaccine delivery system, further improvements are necessary to achieve efficient virus production, especially in vivo.     

A Serological Survey of Antibodies to H5, H7 and H9 Avian Influenza Viruses amongst the Duck-Related Workers in Beijing,China

The continued spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses of H5 and H7 subtypes and low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) viruses of H5, H7 and H9 subtypes in birds and the subsequent infections in humans pose an ongoing pandemic threat. It has been proposed that poultry workers are at higher risk of exposure to HPAI or LPAI viruses and subsequently infection due to their repeated exposure to chickens or domestic waterfowl. The aim of this study was to examine the seroprevalence of antibodies against H5, H7 and H9 viruses amongst duck-related workers in Beijing, China and the risk factors associated with seropositivity. In March, 2011, 1741 participants were recruited from (1) commercial duck-breeding farms; (2) private duck-breeding farms; and (3) duck-slaughtering farms. Local villagers who bred ducks in their backyards were also recruited. A survey was administered by face-to-face interview, and blood samples were collected from subjects for antibody testing against H5, H7 and H9 viruses. We found that none of the subjects were seropositive for either H5 or H7 viruses, and only 0.7% (12/1741) had antibody against H9. A statistically significant difference in H9 antibody seroprevalence existed between the various categories of workers (P = 0.005), with the highest figures recorded amongst the villagers (1.7%). Independent risk factors associated with seropositivity toinfection with H9 virus included less frequent disinfection of worksite (OR, 5.13 [95% CI, 1.07–24.58]; P = 0.041; ≤ twice monthly versus>twice monthly) and handling ducks with wounds on hands (OR, 4.13 [95% CI, 1.26–13.57]; P = 0.019). Whilst the risk of infection with H5, H7 and H9 viruses appears to be low among duck-related workers in Beijing, China, ongoing monitoring of infection with the H9 virus is still warranted, especially amongst villagers who breed backyard ducks to monitor for any changes.     

Homo- and heterosubtypic low pathogenic avian influenza exposure on H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus infection in wood ducks (Aix sponsa)

Wild birds in the Orders Anseriformes and Charadriiformes are the natural reservoirs for avian influenza (AI) viruses. Although they are often infected with multiple AI viruses, the significance and extent of acquired immunity in these populations is not understood. Pre-existing immunity to AI virus has been shown to modulate the outcome of a highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus infection in multiple domestic avian species, but few studies have addressed this effect in wild birds. In this study, the effect of pre-exposure to homosubtypic (homologous hemagglutinin) and heterosubtypic (heterologous hemagglutinin) low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) viruses on the outcome of a H5N1 HPAI virus infection in wood ducks (Aix sponsa) was evaluated. Pre-exposure of wood ducks to different LPAI viruses did not prevent infection with H5N1 HPAI virus, but did increase survival associated with H5N1 HPAI virus infection. The magnitude of this effect on the outcome of the H5N1 HPAI virus infection varied between different LPAI viruses, and was associated both with efficiency of LPAI viral replication in wood ducks and the development of a detectable humoral immune response. These observations suggest that in naturally occurring outbreaks of H5N1 HPAI, birds with pre-existing immunity to homologous hemagglutinin or neuraminidase subtypes of AI virus may either survive H5N1 HPAI virus infection or live longer than naïve birds and, consequently, could pose a greater risk for contributing to viral transmission and dissemination. The mechanisms responsible for this protection and/or the duration of this immunity remain unknown. The results of this study are important for surveillance efforts and help clarify epidemiological data from outbreaks of H5N1 HPAI virus in wild bird populations.     

Avian influenza virus directly infects human natural killer cells and inhibits cell activity

Natural killer (NK) cell is a key component of innate immunity and plays an important role in host defense against virus infection by directly destroying infected cells. Influenza is a respiratory disease transmitted in the early phase of virus infection. Evasion of host innate immunity including NK cells is critical for the virus to expand and establish a successful acute infection. Previously, we showed that human influenza H1N1 virus infects NK cells and induces cell apoptosis, as well as inhibits NK cell activity. In this study, we further demonstrated that avian influenza virus also directly targeted NK cells as an immunoevasion strategy. The avian virus infected human NK cells and induced cell apoptosis. In addition, avian influenza virion and HA protein inhibited NK cell cytotoxicity. This novel strategy has obvious advantages for avian influenza virus, allowing the virus sufficient time to expand and subsequent spread before the onset of the specific immune response. Our findings provide an important clue for the immunopathogenesis of avian influenza, and also suggest that direct targeting NK cells may be a common strategy used by both human and avian influenza viruses to evade NK cell immunity.

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Effects of dietary selenium and vitamin E on immune response and biological blood parameters of broilers reared under thermoneutral or heat stress conditions

A study was conducted using 360 broiler chickens to evaluate the effects of dietary vitamin E (0, 125 and 250 mg/kg), selenium (Se, 0, 0.5 and 1 mg/kg), or their different combinations on immune response and blood biological parameters of broilers raised under either thermoneutral (TN, 23.9 °C constant) or heat stress (HS, 23.9 to 37 °C cycling) conditions. Humoral immunity was assessed by intravenous injection of 7 % sheep red blood cell (SRBC) followed by evaluation of serum for antibody titers in primary and secondary responses. Heterophil to lymphocyte (H/L) ratio also determined as an indicator of stress. Furthermore, at the end of the experiment, birds were bled for determination of some biological parameters. There was a significant reduction in body weight and feed intake, but the feed conversion ratio increased when the birds were exposed to HS (P?<?0.05). Body weight and feed intake were not influenced significantly by dietary vitamin E and Se (P?>?0.05), whereas feed conversion was improved significantly by 125 mg/kg vitamin E (P?<?0.05). The liver and lymphoid organ weights as well as IgM and IgG, antibody titers for primary and secondary antibody responses to SRBC were reduced significantly under HS (P?<?0.05). Heat stress also resulted in a significant increase in H/L ratio (P?<?0.05). Dietary vitamin E resulted in improvement of primary and secondary antibody responses both in TN and HS broilers (P?<?0.05). The HS birds also showed an improved antibody titer in secondary response with high concentration of Se (P?<?0.05). Vitamin E and Se had interactive effects on anti-SRBC titers; however, no consistent differences were found between dietary levels during the study. The H/L ratio decreased by feeding vitamin E at both levels either under HS or TN conditions (P?<?0.05). The serum concentrations of glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol were increased but serum HDL-cholesterol decreased in HS broilers (P?<?0.05).     

Studies on construction of a recombinant Eimeria tenella SO7 gene expressing Escherichia coli and its protective efficacy against homologous infection

Eimeria spp. are the causative agents of coccidiosis, a major disease affecting the poultry industry. A recombinant non-antibiotic Escherichia coli that expresses the Eimeria tenella SO7 gene was constructed and its protective efficacy against homologous infection in chickens was determined. The three-day-old chickens were orally immunized with the recombinant non-antibiotic SO7 gene expressing E. coli and boosted two weeks later. Four weeks after the second immunization, the chickens were challenged with 5 × 10⁴ homologous sporulated oocysts. The protective effects of the recombinant non-antibiotic E. coli were determined by measuring body weight change, mortality, histopathology, lesion scores, oocyst counts, the specific antibody response and the frequency of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ lymphocytes in peripheral blood. The results showed that immunization with SO7 expressing E. coli resulted in significantly improved body weight gain, reduced lesion scores and oocyst shedding in immunized chickens compared to controls. Furthermore, administration of recombinant SO7 expressing E. coli leads to a significant increase in serum antibody, CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells in peripheral blood of chickens. These results, therefore, suggest that the recombinant non-antibiotic E. coli that expresses the SO7 gene is able to effectively stimulate host protective immunity as evidenced by the induction of development of both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses against homologous challenge in chickens.     

Vaccination with Recombinant RNA Replicon Particles Protects Chickens from H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus

Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIV) of subtype H5N1 not only cause a devastating disease in domestic chickens and turkeys but also pose a continuous threat to public health. In some countries, H5N1 viruses continue to circulate and evolve into new clades and subclades. The rapid evolution of these viruses represents a problem for virus diagnosis and control. In this work, recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) vectors expressing HA of subtype H5 were generated. To comply with biosafety issues the G gene was deleted from the VSV genome. The resulting vaccine vector VSV*ΔG(HA) was propagated on helper cells providing the VSV G protein in trans. Vaccination of chickens with a single intramuscular dose of 2×10⁸ infectious replicon particles without adjuvant conferred complete protection from lethal H5N1 infection. Subsequent application of the same vaccine strongly boosted the humoral immune response and completely prevented shedding of challenge virus and transmission to sentinel birds. The vaccine allowed serological differentiation of infected from vaccinated animals (DIVA) by employing a commercially available ELISA. Immunized chickens produced antibodies with neutralizing activity against multiple H5 viruses representing clades 1, 2.2, 2.5, and low-pathogenic avian influenza viruses (classical clade). Studies using chimeric H1/H5 hemagglutinins showed that the neutralizing activity was predominantly directed against the globular head domain. In summary, these results suggest that VSV replicon particles are safe and potent DIVA vaccines that may help to control avian influenza viruses in domestic poultry.     

Excessive Cytokine Response to Rapid Proliferation of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Viruses Leads to Fatal Systemic Capillary Leakage in Chickens

Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) cause lethal infection in chickens. Severe cases of HPAIV infections have been also reported in mammals, including humans. In both mammals and birds, the relationship between host cytokine response to the infection with HPAIVs and lethal outcome has not been well understood. In the present study, the highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses A/turkey/Italy/4580/1999 (H7N1) (Ty/Italy) and A/chicken/Netherlands/2586/2003 (H7N7) (Ck/NL) and the low pathogenic avian influenza virus (LPAIV) A/chicken/Ibaraki/1/2005 (H5N2) (Ck/Ibaraki) were intranasally inoculated into chickens. Ty/Italy replicated more extensively than Ck/NL in systemic tissues of the chickens, especially in the brain, and induced excessive mRNA expression of inflammatory and antiviral cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-6, and IFN-α) in proportion to its proliferation. Using in situ hybridization, IL-6 mRNA was detected mainly in microglial nodules in the brain of the chickens infected with Ty/Italy. Capillary leakage assessed by Evans blue staining was observed in multiple organs, especially in the brains of the chickens infected with Ty/Italy, and was not observed in those infected with Ck/NL. In contrast, LPAIV caused only local infection in the chickens, with neither apparent cytokine expression nor capillary leakage in any tissue of the chickens. The present results indicate that an excessive cytokine response is induced by rapid and extensive proliferation of HPAIV and causes fatal multiple organ failure in chickens.     

Generation,Characterization and Epitope Mapping of Two Neutralizing and Protective Human Recombinant Antibodies against Influenza A H5N1 Viruses

Background

The development of new therapeutic targets and strategies to control highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus infection in humans is urgently needed. Broadly cross-neutralizing recombinant human antibodies obtained from the survivors of H5N1 avian influenza provide an important role in immunotherapy for human H5N1 virus infection and definition of the critical epitopes for vaccine development.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We have characterized two recombinant baculovirus-expressed human antibodies (rhAbs), AVFluIgG01 and AVFluIgG03, generated by screening a Fab antibody phage library derived from a patient recovered from infection with a highly pathogenic avian influenza A H5N1 clade 2.3 virus. AVFluIgG01 cross-neutralized the most of clade 0, clade 1, and clade 2 viruses tested, in contrast, AVFluIgG03 only neutralized clade 2 viruses. Passive immunization of mice with either AVFluIgG01 or AVFluIgG03 antibody resulted in protection from a lethal H5N1 clade 2.3 virus infection. Furthermore, through epitope mapping, we identify two distinct epitopes on H5 HA molecule recognized by these rhAbs and demonstrate their potential to protect against a lethal H5N1 virus infection in a mouse model.

Conclusions/Significance

Importantly, localization of the epitopes recognized by these two neutralizing and protective antibodies has provided, for the first time, insight into the human antibody responses to H5N1 viruses which contribute to the H5 immunity in the recovered patient. These results highlight the potential of a rhAbs treatment strategy for human H5N1 virus infection and provide new insight for the development of effective H5N1 pandemic vaccines.     

抗禽流感病毒多表位DNA疫苗的构建及其免疫效力研究

多表位DNA疫苗是建立在常规DNA疫苗基础上的一种新型疫苗。它是用表位作免疫原,这样就比较容易在一个表达载体上克隆病原体的多个抗原基因中具有免疫活性的部分。本试验以H5N1亚型禽流感病毒的HA和NP基因及其表位为基础构建了4个重组质粒：1 pIRES/HA（表达全长的HA基因）;2 pIRES/tHA（只表达HA基因的主要抗原表位区）;3 pIRES/tHANpep（融合表达HA基因的抗原表位区和NP基因的3个CTL表位）;4 pIRES/tHANpep-IFN-γ（用鸡的IFN-γ基因取代质粒pIRES/tHANpep中的neo基因）。分别用这4个重组质粒和空载体质粒pIRES1neo肌注免疫30日龄SPF鸡。免疫3次,间隔为2周,每次每只鸡的剂量为200μg。第3次免疫后两周以高致病性禽流感病毒H5N1强毒攻击,免疫及攻毒前后均采血检测HI抗体效价和外周血CD4⁺、CD8⁺T细胞的变化。结果发现,攻毒前各质粒免疫组均检测不到HI抗体,攻毒后1周存活鸡HI抗体效价迅速升高到64～256。流式细胞仪检测显示外周血CD4⁺、CD8⁺T细胞在疫苗免疫后都有不同程度的升高。空载体质粒对照组鸡（10只）在攻毒后3～8 d内全部死亡,其他各重组质粒免疫组鸡都获得了部分保护,保护率分别是：pIRES/HA组为545%（6/11）,pIRES/tHA组为30%（3/10）,pIRES/tHANPep组为36.3%（4/11）, pIRES/tHANPepIFNγ组为50%（5/10）。这些结果表明我们构建的多表位DNA疫苗能够诱导机体产生特异性免疫应答,并在同型禽流感强毒攻击时对鸡只提供了一定的保护。     

表达禽流感病毒M2基因的重组马立克氏病病毒的构建

将禽流感病毒M2基因克隆于真核表达质粒pIRES-EGFP中,使其位于pCMV启动子的调控下,并与绿色荧光蛋白基因（EGFP）串联后,将上述串联基因插入到含MDV CVI988的非必需区US基因的重组质粒pUS2中,构建带标记的重组质粒,然后将此重组质粒转染感染了MDV CVI988的鸡胚成纤维细胞,利用同源重组的方法,筛选了表达禽流感病毒M2基因的重组病毒MDV1。经PCR、Dot-blotting,Western-blotting等实验的结果表明,禽流感病毒M2基因的确插入到MDV1（CVI988）基因组中并获得表达。重组MDV1免疫1日龄SPF鸡21天后,用ELISA可检测到M2蛋白的特异性抗体。接种了重组病毒rMDV的鸡体内针对H9N2疫苗血凝素的抗体滴度(p<0.05)明显提高,以禽流感病毒AIV A/Chicken/Guangdong/00（H9N2）攻毒后进行病毒重分离试验的结果发现,重组病毒能有效地降低病毒的排出量(p<0.01),说明该重组病毒可以用于防制禽流感的免疫。