Artificial insertion of a dominant gene for resistance to avian leukosis virus into the germ line of the chicken

Summary This report describes the unique biological properties of a transgenic chicken line that contains a defective avian leukosis virus (ALV) proviral insert that we call alv6. Chick embryo fibroblasts (CEF) containing this insert express subgroup A envelope glycoprotein since they yield focus-forming pseudotype virus when co-cultivated with transformed quail cells expressing envelope-defective Bryan high-liter Rous sarcoma virus (RSV). In addition, these cells display high interference to subgroup A RSV but not to subgroup B RSV infection. Chickens containing this insert are highly resistant to pathogenic subgroup A ALV infection, but show little immunological tolerance to subgroup B ALV infection. Thus we have artificially inserted a dominant gene for resistance to avian leukosis infection into the chicken germ line.     

The avian retrovirus env gene family: molecular analysis of host range and antigenic variants.

The nucleotide sequence of the env gp85-coding domain from two avian sarcoma and leukosis retrovirus isolates was determined to identify host range and antigenic determinants. The predicted amino acid sequence of gp85 from a subgroup D virus isolate of the Schmidt-Ruppin strain of Rous sarcoma virus was compared with the previously reported sequences of subgroup A, B, C, and E avian sarcoma and leukosis retroviruses. Subgroup D viruses are closely related to the subgroup B viruses but have an extended host range that includes the ability to penetrate certain mammalian cells. There are 27 amino acid differences shared between the subgroup D sequence and three subgroup B sequences. At 16 of these sites, the subgroup D sequence is identical to the sequence of one or more of the other subgroup viruses (A, C, and E). The remaining 11 sites are specific to subgroup D and show some clustering in the two large variable regions that are thought to be major determinants of host range. Biological analysis of recombinant viruses containing a dominant selectable marker confirmed the role of the gp85-coding domain in determining the host range of the subgroup D virus in the infection of mammalian cells. We also compared the sequence of the gp85-coding domain from two subgroup A viruses, Rous-associated virus type 1 and a subgroup A virus of the Schmidt-Ruppin strain of Rous sarcoma virus. The comparison revealed 24 nonconservative amino acid changes, of which 6 result in changes in potential glycosylation sites. The positions of 10 amino acid differences are coincident with the positions of 10 differences found between two subgroup B virus env gene sequences. These 10 sites identify seven domains in the sequence which may constitute determinants of type-specific antigenicity. Using a molecular recombinant, we demonstrated that type-specific neutralization of two subgroup A viruses was associated with the gp85-coding domain of the virus.     

Component of Strain MC29 Avian Leukosis Virus with the Property of Defectiveness

Three clones of morphologically altered cells (L(-)MC29) of singular properties were isolated from MC29 (subgroup A) leukosis virus-infected chick embryo cells. Supernatant fluids from cultures of the cloned cells produced no transforming or interfering activity on chick embryo cells susceptible to known avian leukosis-sarcoma viruses. No virus associated with the cells was demonstrable by fluorescent-antibody staining or by electron microscopy. All L(-)MC29 clone cells were activated, however, by four strains of Rous-associated viruses (RAV) representative of A, B, C, and D subgroup avian leukosis viruses and by two strains of MC29 virus. Virus L(-)MC29 cells activated by superinfection with RAV-1 and RAV-2 was characterized by helper-dependent and helper-independent properties. These findings suggest that the strain MC29 leukosis virus, or a component thereof, possesses properties of defectiveness similar to those of the Bryan high-titer Rous sarcoma virus.     

Specificity of avian leukosis virus-induced hyperlipidemia

Rous-associated virus 7 (RAV-7) is a subgroup C avian leukosis virus which does not transform cells in vitro or carry an oncogene. When injected into 1-day-old hatched chicks, RAV-7 causes a low incidence of lymphoid leukosis after a latent period of several months. In contrast, infection of 10-day-old chicken embryos with RAV-7 leads to a disease syndrome characterized by stunting, obesity, atrophy of the bursa and the thymus, high triglyceride and cholesterol levels, reduced thyroxine levels, and increased insulin levels (Carter et al., Infect. Immun. 39:410-422, 1983; J.K. Carter and R.E. Smith, Infect. Immun. 40:795-805, 1983). Histopathological examination of tissues from affected chicks revealed an accumulation of lipid in the liver and an extensive infiltration of the thyroid and pancreas by lymphoblastoid cells. In the present investigation, the subgroup specificity of this syndrome was investigated. Other subgroup C avian leukosis viruses (transformation-defective B77, transformation-defective Prague C strain of Rous sarcoma virus, and RAV-49) caused stunting, infiltration of the thyroid and pancreas, increased liver weights, decreased thyroxine levels, and increased insulin levels, but they did not cause a uniform, profound increase in triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Avian leukosis viruses of subgroup A [myeloblastosis-associated virus 1 causing osteopetrosis [MAV-1(O)] and RAV-1], subgroup B [MAV-2(O), MAV-2 causing nephroblastoma [MAV-2(N)], and RAV-2], subgroup D (RAV-50), and subgroup F (ring-necked pheasant virus and RAV-61) did not cause a syndrome identical to that induced by RAV-7. All of the viruses examined induced some stunting and a reduction in thyroxine levels which correlated with the stunting. The two subgroup F viruses caused an infiltration of the thyroid which may have been secondary to severe lung involvement. We conclude that the RAV-7 syndrome is unique, particularly in the induction of a hyperlipidemia.     

Thymic dependence of cell-mediated immunity to avian sarcomas in chickens. Immunological characterization of a nonvirion antigen in virus-infected cells.

Chickens bearing tumors which have been induced by avian retroviruses express cellmediated immune responsiveness against antigens which are associated with these neoplasms. We have employed a peripheral lymphocyte stimulation test to characterize antigens which are found in the supernatant fluids of avian retrovirus-infected chicken embryo fibroblast (CEF) cells and in the plasma of birds which have been inoculated with avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV). The results indicated that the antigenic activity being measured was virus group specific, cell transformation independent, and nonvirion in nature. Paradoxically, expression of such antigen(s) was restricted to cells which were actively synthesizing progeny avian retrovirus particles, and was absent in mammalian nonproducer cells which had been transformed by avian sarcoma viruses. Ability to respond immunologically to such antigen(s) was present in animals which had been inoculated with either leukosis or sarcoma viruses. Thymectomy, but not bursectomy, was stimulatory to tumor growth and abolished sensitized lymphocyte immune responsiveness in this system.     

Influence of env and long terminal repeat sequences on the tissue tropism of avian leukosis viruses.

Adsorption and penetration of retroviruses into eucaryotic cells is mediated by retroviral envelope glycoproteins interacting with host receptors. Recombinant avian leukosis viruses (ALVs) differing only in envelope determinants that interact with host receptors for subgroup A or E ALVs have been found to have unexpectedly distinctive patterns of tissue-specific replication. Recombinants of both subgroups were highly expressed in bursal lymphocytes as well as in cultured chicken embryo fibroblasts. In contrast, the subgroup A but not subgroup E host range allowed high levels of expression in skeletal muscle, while subgroup E but not subgroup A envelope glycoproteins permitted efficient replication in the thymus. A subgroup B virus (RAV-2), like the subgroup E viruses, demonstrated a distinct bursal and thymic tropism, further supporting the theory that genes encoding receptors for subgroup B and E viruses are allelic. The source of long terminal repeats (LTRs) or adjacent sequences also influenced tissue-specific replication, with the LTRs from endogenous virus RAV-0 supporting efficient replication in the bursa and thymus but not in skeletal muscle. These results indicate that ALV env and LTR regions are responsible for unexpectedly distinctive tissue tropisms.     

Infection of resistant avian cells by subgroup B Rous sarcoma virus.

Chicken fibroblasts derived from the H & N flock, which have been characterized as resistant to subgroup B avian oncornaviruses in focus assays, can be infected in suspension shortly after trypsinization by subgroup B sarcoma and leukosis viruses. Once cells are plated, resistance to infection reappears rapidly. C/BE cell suspensions obtained by treatment with EDTA instead of trypsin are not as sensitive to infection. Late interference established by preinfection with subgroup B leukosis viruses is not overcome by trypsinization. In addition to C/BE H & N chicken cells, C/ABE RPRL line 7 cells can also be infected by subgroup B viruses shortly after trypsinization; however, none of the cell types can be made sensitive to subgroup E infection. These results are discussed in relation to current information on the genetic control of resistance to avian oncornaviruses.     

Isolation of clonal strains of chicken embryo fibroblasts

A method for cloning of chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF) was developed, yielding a cloning efficiency of up to 50% without use of feeder cells or conditioned medium. An analysis of the growth potential of over 200 randomly selected clones showed that only approx. 4% of the clones were capable of doubling more than 35 times before undergoing cellular senescence. A positive correlation between initial growth rate and in vitro lifespan was observed. This served as a basis for a simple selection procedure for fibroblast strains suitable for long-term culturing. None of over 200 clones thus isolated could be established into a line. Subclones from clonal CEF strains were more homogeneous than uncloned CEF cultures with respect to morphology and growth behaviour, but still heterogeneous in their in vitro life span. All fibroblast strains tested could be effectively infected and transformed by a variety of avian sarcoma and leukosis viruses.     

Assay of noninfectious fragments of DNA of avian leukosis virus-infected cells by marker rescue.

A marker rescue assay of noninfectious fragments of avian leukosis virus DNAs is describe. DNA fragments were prepared either by sonication of EcoRI-digestion of DNAs of chicken cells infected with wild-type Rous sarcoma virus, with a nontransforming avian leukosis virus, and with a mutant of Rous sarcoma virus temperature sensitive for transformation. Recipient cultures of chicken embryo fibroblasts were treated with noninfectious DNA fragments and infected with temperature-sensitive mutants of Rous sarcoma virus defective in DNA polymerase or in an internal virion structural protein. Wild-type progeny viruses which replicated at the nonpermissive temperature were isolated. Some of the wild-type progeny acquired both the wild-type DNA polymerase and the subgroup specificity of the Rous sarcona virus strain used for preparation of sonicated or EcoRI-digested DNA fragments. Therefore the genetic markers for DNA polymerase and envelope were linked and appeared to be located on the same EcoRi fragment of the DNA of Rous sarcoma virus-infected cells.     

Two Loci Controlling Genetic Cellular Resistance to Avian Leukosis-Sarcoma Viruses

Female chickens known to be heterozygous for resistance to subgroups A and B of the avian leukosis-sarcoma viruses were mated to males known to be homozygously resistant to both. The progeny were assayed both on the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) and in tissue culture for resistance to representative viruses of the A, B, and tentatively defined C subgroups. Segregation ratios of resistance to A and B subgroup viruses agreed with the previously suggested hypothesis of single-autosomal-recessive genes controlling resistance to each subgroup. Mixed infection on the CAM and replicate plate infection in tissue culture with subgroup A and B viruses showed that resistance to the A and B subgroups was inherited independently. Assays with viruses tentatively classified as subgroup C indicated that they were largely composed of a mixture of subgroup A and B viruses or of particles possessing the host range specificity of both. However, virus stocks of the subgroup C category, as well as some stocks classified as subgroup B, produced small numbers of pocks or foci on individuals known to be resistant to subgroup A and B viruses. It is suggested that these Rous sarcoma virus stocks carry between 1 and 10% of a true subgroup C virus.     

Tumor growth and antibodies after RSV-challenge in normal chickens and in chickens congenitally infected with avian leukosis virus.

Normal chickens and chickens congenitally infected with an avian leukosis virus (ALV) of antigenic subgroup A were challenged with strains of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) of two different antigenic subgroups (B and C) and tumor induction and growth as well as humoral antibody to viral envelope antigen (VEA) and tumor-specific surface antigen (TSSA) were measured. There was no effect of congenital ALV infection on RSV tumor incidence or latent period but the growth rate and size of the tumors were much higher in congenitally infected birds as compared to controls. Whereas most tumors in the RSV-challenged normal birds regressed, tumors in ALV-infected birds grew progressively. There were no striking differences in the number of birds in either group in the incidence of anti-TSSA or anti-VEA antibodies nor did the presence of either type of antibody reflect the tumor status of the host.     

Genetic analysis of the Rous sarcoma virus subgroup D env gene: mammal tropism correlates with temperature sensitivity of gp85.

Subgroup D avian sarcoma and leukosis viruses can penetrate a variety of mammalian cells in addition to cells from their natural host, chickens. Sequences derived from the gp85-coding domain within the env gene of a mammal-tropic subgroup D virus (Schmidt-Ruppin D strain of Rous sarcoma virus [SR-D RSV]) and a non-mammal-tropic subgroup B virus (Rous-associated virus type 2) were recombined to map genetic determinants that allow penetration of mammalian cells. The following conclusions were based on host range analysis of the recombinant viruses. (i) The determinants of gp85 that result in the mammal tropism phenotype of SR-D RSV are encoded within the 160 codons that lie 3' of codon 121 from the corresponding amino terminus of the gp85 protein. (ii) Small linear domains of the SR-D RSV gp85-coding domain placed in the subgroup B background did not yield viruses with titers equal to that of the subgroup D virus in a human cell line. (iii) Recombinant viruses that contained subgroup D sequences within the hr1 variable domain of gp85 showed modest-to-significant increases in infectivity on human cells relative to chicken cells. A recombinant virus that contained three fortuitous amino acid substitutions in the gp85-coding domain was found to penetrate the human cell line and give a titer similar to that of the subgroup D virus. In addition, we found that the subgroup D virus, the mutant virus, and recombinant viruses with an increased mammal tropism phenotype were unstable at 42 degrees C. These results suggest that the mammal tropism of the SR-D strain is not related to altered receptor specificity but rather to an unstable and fusogenic viral glycoprotein. A temperature sensitivity phenotype for infectivity of mammalian cells was also observed for another mammal-tropic avian retrovirus, the Bratislava 77 strain of RSV, a subgroup C virus, but was not seen for any other avian retrovirus tested, strengthening the correlation between mammal tropism and temperature sensitivity.     

Replication of modified vaccinia virus Ankara in primary chicken embryo fibroblasts requires expression of the interferon resistance gene E3L

Highly attenuated modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) serves as a candidate vaccine to immunize against infectious diseases and cancer. MVA was randomly obtained by serial growth in cultures of chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF), resulting in the loss of substantial genomic information including many genes regulating virus-host interactions. The vaccinia virus interferon (IFN) resistance gene E3L is among the few conserved open reading frames encoding viral immune defense proteins. To investigate the relevance of E3L in the MVA life cycle, we generated the deletion mutant MVA-DeltaE3L. Surprisingly, we found that MVA-DeltaE3L had lost the ability to grow in CEF, which is the first finding of a vaccinia virus host range phenotype in this otherwise highly permissive cell culture. Reinsertion of E3L led to the generation of revertant virus MVA-E3rev and rescued productive replication in CEF. Nonproductive infection of CEF with MVA-DeltaE3L allowed viral DNA replication to occur but resulted in an abrupt inhibition of viral protein synthesis at late times. Under these nonpermissive conditions, CEF underwent apoptosis starting as early as 6 h after infection, as shown by DNA fragmentation, Hoechst staining, and caspase activation. Moreover, we detected high levels of active chicken alpha/beta IFN (IFN-alpha/beta) in supernatants of MVA-DeltaE3L-infected CEF, while moderate IFN quantities were found after MVA or MVA-E3rev infection and no IFN activity was present upon infection with wild-type vaccinia viruses. Interestingly, pretreatment of CEF with similar amounts of recombinant chicken IFN-alpha inhibited growth of vaccinia viruses, including MVA. We conclude that efficient propagation of MVA in CEF, the tissue culture system used for production of MVA-based vaccines, essentially requires conserved E3L gene function as an inhibitor of apoptosis and/or IFN induction.     

Suppression of Growth of Herpes Simplex Virus in Chick Embryo Fibroblasts at 40 C

Four strains of herpes simplex virus tested all showed inability to form plaques in chick embryo fibroblasts (CEF) at 40 C, while no such suppression of growth was observed with WEE, vaccinia or JE virus in the same cells. The suppression was not due to a complete inhibition of viral growth, because virus-infected CEF bottle cultures consistently showed a small but definite increase of virus titer in 24 hr. When CEF monolayers adsorbing herpes virus were placed at 40 C, the number of infective centers decreased gradually; however, this decrease was much slower than the degradation of free virus at this temperature. Transfer of virus-infected CEF bottle cultures from 35 C to 40 C at any time during a one step growth cycle promptly slowed down subsequent virus replication. When virus-infected CEF bottles were incubated first at 40 C for 24 hr and then transferred to 35 C, a new increase in virus titer took place following a short lag. What stage of virus replication is suppressed at 40 C remains yet to be determined.     

二株B亚群禽白血病病毒全基因组序列及其在细胞上的复制性比较

本研究比较了从山东地方品系鸡群分离到的二株B亚型禽白血病病毒(ALV)SDAU09E3和SDAU09C2的全基因组序列及它们在细胞培养上的复制动态。这二株ALV-B的同源性为95.4%,与GenBank中3株B亚群参考株之间的同源性也均在91.0%～94.9%间,而与其它亚群参考株的同源性均低于87.9%。与亚群无关的gag、pol基因和LTR的核苷酸序列比较表明,这二株ALV-Bgp85基因的gag和pol基因与所有比较的参考株的同源性均在93%以上。LTR与其他外源性ALV参考株的LTR间的同源性在72.6%～88.3%范围内,但与E亚群内源性ALV的LTR的同源性只有51.5%。然而,这二个ALV-B的LTR的同源性也只有74.8%,远低于其他基因组部分的同源性,特别是它们的LTR的U3区同源性只有68.8%,二者在二个CAAT分布上也显著不同。对这二株ALV-B在DF-1细胞上的复制动态比较表明,它们在细胞培养上清液中的TCID50值非常类似,但SDAU09E3株核衣壳蛋白p27抗原的含量显著高于SDAU09C2株。这表明,同一亚群的不同毒株在复制过程中,所表达的p27抗原量与所形成的具有传染性的病毒量间没有平行关系。这一差异与LTR-U3区的相关性则有待应用感染性克隆技术来做进一步深入研究。     

Induction of host gene expression following infection of chicken embryo fibroblasts with oncogenic Marek's disease virus

Microarrays containing 1,126 nonredundant cDNAs selected from a chicken activated T-cell expressed sequence tag database (http://chickest.udel.edu) were used to examine changes in host cell gene expression that accompany infection of chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF) with Marek's disease virus (MDV). Host genes that were reproducibly induced by infection of CEF with the oncogenic RB1B strain of MDV included macrophage inflammatory protein, interferon response factor 1, interferon-inducible protein, quiescence-specific protein, thymic shared antigen 1, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I, MHC class II, beta(2)-microglobulin, clusterin, interleukin-13 receptor alpha chain, ovotransferrin, a serine/threonine kinase, and avian leukosis virus subgroup J glycoprotein.     

Assay of avian leukosis viruses by indirect immunoperoxidase method

Chick embryo fibroblast cells (CEF) infected with avian leukosis viruses were stained selectively by the indirect immunoperoxidase method. Good results were obtained by the use of a successive combination of periodate-lysine-paraformaldehyde fixation and diaminobenzidine reaction mixture. Viral antigens were detected type-specifically on infected cells. Type-specific antisera determined by the neutralization test were absorbed by the homologous type of virus-infected CEF, but not by the heterologous type of these cells. This test was more effective for detecting virus infectivity than the resistance-inducing factor test. Viral antigen was observed 2 days after inoculation with a large amount of the virus. The minimum infective dose of the virus for the antigen detection was 100 resistance-inducing units (RIU) per plate 4 days after infection, or 1 RIU per plate in CEF after two passages.