H7N9亚型禽流感病毒非结构蛋白1(NS1)基因序列分析及2013上海分离株NS1的原核表达

目的:对2013年3月发生的感染人的新型H7N9亚型禽流感病毒的非结构蛋白1(NS1)基因序列进行同源性分析,构建NS1重组质粒并表达。方法:从GenBank获得2006~2013年不同来源的H7N9亚型病毒NS1序列,并进行同源性比较;利用PCR方法从H7N9亚型禽流感病毒株A/Shanghai/4664T/2013(H7N9)基因组cDNA中扩增得到全长NS1基因,并将该片段定向克隆到原核表达载体pET28a上,构建重组质粒pET28a-NS1,经酶切鉴定,将重组质粒转化大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)感受态细胞后,IPTG诱导表达,且进行Western印迹分析。结果:经序列分析,2013年暴发的H7N9型禽流感病毒的NS1基因核苷酸序列同源性为95%~100%,与之前暴发的H7N9型流感病毒NS1基因序列的同源性为86.4%~90.7%,表明2次暴发的该型流感分离株属于不同的进化分支;PCR扩增得到约680 bp的NS1基因序列,所克隆的NS1基因在原核细胞中的表达产物主要以包涵体形式存在,SDS-PAGE检测结果表明重组蛋白相对分子质量为25×103,Western印迹分析证实表达产物为H7N9禽流感病毒NS1蛋白。结论:为进一步研究H7N9亚型流感病毒NS1蛋白功能及基于NS1蛋白的抗病毒药物奠定了基础。     

H7N9禽流感病毒与其他流感病毒对雪貂致病性与传播力的比较

目的针对2013年3月中国爆发的人感染H7N9禽流感病毒,在雪貂体内进行致病性及传播力的研究,并与甲型H1N1流感病毒、H5N1禽流感病毒进行比较。方法对新发H7N9毒株、甲型H1N1流感病毒、H5N1禽流感病毒感染雪貂后的临床症状、体征,呼吸道排毒情况,组织病理学变化等进行评价和比较,并对H7N9毒株在雪貂群体中的传播力进行研究。结果雪貂模型的临床症状、死亡率、病毒传播以及组织病理学分析显示:H7N9病毒的致病性低于H5N1,与2009年起源于北美的甲型H1N1流感病毒相当。新发H7N9禽流感病毒可以在雪貂的呼吸道、心脏、肝脏以及嗅球进行复制。值得注意的是H7N9禽流感可以通过飞沫在雪貂间进行低水平的传播,并且在传播过程中,病毒基因组内有多个位点的氨基酸发生了替换。结论 H7N9禽流感病毒对雪貂的致病性较H5N1禽流感病毒低,与甲型H1N1流感病毒对雪貂的致病性相当,H7N9禽流感病毒可在雪貂间进行传播。     

甲型H1N1流感病毒血凝素HA1在糖基工程毕赤酵母中的表达

目的:建立用糖基工程酵母制备流感血凝素的方法 ,研究其免疫原性,为酵母表达流感疫苗提供基础。方法:通过PCR的方法扩增编码H1N1流感病毒血凝素HA1(1～330 aa)的基因片段,将HA1基因克隆到表达载体pPIC9质粒上,电转化到糖基工程酵母中,甲醇诱导表达并用镍亲和层析柱纯化重组蛋白,N-糖苷酶F(PNGF)酶切分析N-糖链,Western印迹验证纯化蛋白,免疫小鼠并测定HA1诱导抗体的滴度。结果:获得HA1基因的酵母重组表达菌株,SDS-PAGE分析可见野生型GS115表达的重组HA1相对分子质量约为100×103,而糖基工程酵母GJK01表达的HA1约为60×103,PNGF酶切后相对分子质量均降至45×103左右;经Western印迹检测,这些条带均为目的蛋白条带,野生型和糖基工程酵母表达的HA1分子大小不同是由于不同的N-糖基化修饰引起的。重组HA1免疫小鼠可产生抗HA1抗体,随着抗原剂量的增加,其产生的抗体滴度相应增加;3次免疫后,4μg HA1诱导小鼠产生的抗体滴度最高。结论:利用糖基工程酵母表达制备了低糖化的流感病毒血凝素HA1,该重组蛋白可以诱导小鼠产生HA1抗体,且产生的抗体滴度具有HA1剂量依赖性。     

Entry Properties and Entry Inhibitors of a Human H7N9 Influenza Virus

The recently identified human infections with a novel avian influenza H7N9 virus in China raise important questions regarding possible risk to humans. However, the entry properties and tropism of this H7N9 virus were poorly understood. Moreover, neuraminidase inhibitor resistant H7N9 isolates were recently observed in two patients and correlated with poor clinical outcomes. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the entry properties of H7N9 virus, design and evaluate inhibitors for H7N9 virus entry. We optimized and developed an H7N9-pseudotyped particle system (H7N9pp) that could be neutralized by anti-H7 antibodies and closely mimicked the entry process of the H7N9 virus. Avian, human and mouse-derived cultured cells showed high, moderate and low permissiveness to H7N9pp, respectively. Based on influenza virus membrane fusion mechanisms, a potent anti-H7N9 peptide (P155-185-chol) corresponding to the C-terminal ectodomain of the H7N9 hemagglutinin protein was successfully identified. P155-185-chol demonstrated H7N9pp-specific inhibition of infection with IC₅₀ of 0.19 µM. Importantly, P155-185-chol showed significant suppression of A/Anhui/1/2013 H7N9 live virus propagation in MDCK cells and additive effects with NA inhibitors Oseltamivir and Zanamivir. These findings expand our knowledge of the entry properties of the novel H7N9 viruses, and they highlight the potential for developing a new class of inhibitors targeting viral entry for use in the next pandemic.     

Evaluation of Commercial Diagnostic Assays for the Specific Detection of Avian Influenza A (H7N9) Virus RNA Using a Quality-Control Panel and Clinical Specimens in China

A novel avian influenza A H7N9-subtype virus emerged in China in 2013 and threatened global public health. Commercial kits that specifically detect avian influenza A (H7N9) virus RNA are urgently required to prepare for the emergence and potential pandemic of this novel influenza virus. The safety and effectiveness of three commercial molecular diagnostic assays were evaluated using a quality-control panel and clinical specimens collected from over 90 patients with confirmed avian influenza A (H7N9) virus infections. The analytical performance evaluation showed that diverse influenza H7N9 viruses can be detected with high within- and between-lot reproducibility and without cross-reactivity to other influenza viruses (H1N1 pdm09, seasonal H1N1, H3N2, H5N1 and influenza B). The detection limit of all the commercial assays was 2.83 Log₁₀ copies/μl [0.7 Log₁₀TCID₅₀/mL of avian influenza A (H7N9) virus strain A/Zhejiang/DTID-ZJU01/2013], which is comparable to the method recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). In addition, using a WHO-Chinese National Influenza Center (CNIC) method as a reference for clinical evaluation, positive agreement of more than 98% was determined for all of the commercial kits, while negative agreement of more than 99% was observed. In conclusion, our findings provide comprehensive evidence for the high performance of three commercial diagnostic assays and suggest the application of these assays as rapid and effective diagnostic tools for avian influenza A (H7N9) virus in the routine clinical practice of medical laboratories.     

Xanthones from Polygala karensium inhibit neuraminidases from influenza A viruses

The emergence of the H1N1 swine flu pandemic has the possibility to develop the occurrence of disaster- or drug-resistant viruses by additional reassortments in novel influenza A virus. In the course of an anti-influenza screening program for natural products, 10 xanthone derivatives (1-10) were isolated by bioassay-guided fractionation from the EtOAc-soluble extract of Polygala karensium. Compounds 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 with a hydroxy group at C-1 showed strong inhibitory effects on neuraminidases from various influenza viral strains, H1N1, H9N2, novel H1N1 (WT), and oseltamivir-resistant novel H1N1 (H274Y) expressed in 293T cells. In addition, these compounds reduced the cytopathic effect of H1N1 swine influenza virus in MDCK cells. Our results suggest that xanthones from P. karensium may be useful in the prevention and treatment of disease by influenza viruses.     

Novel H7N9 Influenza Virus Shows Low Infectious Dose,High Growth Rate,and Efficient Contact Transmission in the Guinea Pig Model

The zoonotic outbreak of H7N9 subtype avian influenza virus that occurred in eastern China in the spring of 2013 resulted in 135 confirmed human cases, 44 of which were lethal. Sequencing of the viral genome revealed a number of molecular signatures associated with virulence or transmission in mammals. We report here that, in the guinea pig model, a human isolate of novel H7N9 influenza virus, A/Anhui/1/2013 (An/13), is highly dissimilar to an H7N1 avian isolate and instead behaves similarly to a human seasonal strain in several respects. An/13 was found to have a low 50% infectious dose, grow to high titers in the upper respiratory tract, and transmit efficiently among cocaged guinea pigs. The pH of fusion of the hemagglutinin (HA) and the binding of virus to fixed guinea pig tissues were also examined. The An/13 HA displayed a relatively elevated pH of fusion characteristic of many avian strains, and An/13 resembled avian viruses in terms of attachment to tissues. One important difference was seen between An/13 and both the H3N2 human and the H7N1 avian viruses: when inoculated intranasally at a high dose, only the An/13 virus led to productive infection of the lower respiratory tract of guinea pigs. In sum, An/13 was found to retain fusion and attachment properties of an avian influenza virus but displayed robust growth and contact transmission in the guinea pig model atypical of avian strains and indicative of mammalian adaptation.     

Conservation of T cell epitopes between seasonal influenza viruses and the novel influenza A H7N9 virus

A novel avian influenza A (H7N9) virus recently emerged in the Yangtze River delta and caused diseases, often severe, in over 130 people. This H7N9 virus appeared to infect humans with greater ease than previous avian influenza virus subtypes such as H5N1 and H9N2. While there are other potential explanations for this large number of human infections with an avian influenza virus, we investigated whether a lack of conserved T-cell epitopes between endemic H1N1 and H3N2 influenza viruses and the novel H7N9 virus contributes to this observation. Here we demonstrate that a number of T cell epitopes are conserved between endemic H1N1 and H3N2 viruses and H7N9 virus. Most of these conserved epitopes are from viral internal proteins. The extent of conservation between endemic human seasonal influenza and avian influenza H7N9 was comparable to that with the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1. Thus, the ease of inter-species transmission of H7N9 viruses (compared with avian H5N1 viruses) cannot be attributed to the lack of conservation of such T cell epitopes. On the contrary, our findings predict significant T-cell based cross-reactions in the human population to the novel H7N9 virus. Our findings also have implications for H7N9 virus vaccine design.     

甲型H1N1流感病毒感染小鼠的发病机制

目的甲型H1N1流感病毒A/California/7/2009感染BALB/c小鼠,研究甲型H1N1流感病毒病毒性肺炎发病机制。方法 4～6周龄雌性BALB/c小鼠60只,随机分为2组,实验组和对照组,每组30只。CA7流感病毒滴鼻制备甲流病毒感染小鼠模型。攻毒后第5天解剖实验和对照组小鼠,取肺组织,测定肺组织中IL-2,IL-6,TNF-α含量。结果结果实验组肺组织中IL-6,TNF-α,水平明显高于对照组,IL-2水平明显低于对照组,差异均有显著性（P〈0.05）。结论 IL-6、TNF-α、IL-2这3种细胞因子在感染甲流病毒后的显著性变化与病毒感染后的肺组织病理损伤有密切的关系。     

我国H7N2亚型禽流感病毒CK/HB/1/02株分离鉴定

从鸡组织中获得了一株分离物,能凝集鸡红细胞,经负染后电镜观察可见球形、外被囊膜的病毒颗粒,直径约 90～100nm;经血凝抑制和神经氨酸酶抑制试验鉴定为H7N2亚型禽流感病毒(Avian influenza virus,AIV),命名 为A／Chicken／Hebei／1／2002(H7N2)(简称CK／HB／1／02)。将该病毒接种SPF鸡,测得静脉接种致病指数(IVPI) 为0．00,剖检可见实验鸡多种组织器官有出血性变化,判为低致病力AIV;接种后7d从实验鸡泄殖腔棉拭中回收 到病毒,并在血清中检测到H7亚型AIV抗体。经RT-PCR扩增了病毒HA1基因片段(约1．1kb),测定其核苷酸 序列并与GenBank中的序列比较。结果表明,该病毒的HA1基因序列与AIV标准株A／Afri．Star．／Eng-Q／79 (H7N1)的HA1基因同源性最高,为99．4％;与以色列和意大利H7N2 AIV的同源性较高,为96．8％～98．2％;与 美国H7N2病毒的同源性很低,约为81．0％;其HA裂解位点的氨基酸序列为-KGR-GLF-,符合低致病力AIV的 特征。     

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 H5N1 induces rapid interferon-beta production but shows more potent inhibition to retinoic acid-inducible gene I expression than H1N1 in vitro

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The mechanisms through which the avian influenza virus H5N1 modulate the host's innate immune defense during invasion, remains incompletely understood. RIG-I as a pattern recognition receptor plays an important role in mediating innate immune response induced by influenza virus. So, modulating RIG-I might be adopted as a strategy by influenza virus to antagonize the host's innate immune defense. Methods: Here we chose an avian influenza virus A/tree sparrow/Henan/1/04 (H5N1) directly isolated from a free-living tree sparrow in Mainland China which is amplified in egg allantoic cavity, and researched its interferon induction and manipulation of RIG-I expression compared with influenza virus A/WSN/1933(H1N1), a well charaterized mouse adapted strain, in human lung epithelial A549 cells and human embryonic kidney 293T cells. Results: Although the avian influenza virus H5N1 infection initiated a rapid IFN-beta production early on, it eventually presented a more potent inhibition to IFN-beta production than H1N1. Correspondingly, the H5N1 infection induced low level expression of endogenous RIG-I, an Interferon Stimulating Gene (ISG), and showed more potent inhibition to the expression of endogenous RIG-I triggered by exogenous interferon than H1N1. Conclusions: Manipulating endogenous RIG-I expression might constitute one of the mechanisms through which avian influenza virus H5N1 control the host's innate immune response during infection.     

虎源流感病毒HA 基因的系统发生分析及其在杆状病毒系统中的表达

通过对虎源流感病毒A/ Tiger/ Harbin/01/ 2003 (H5N1)的HA 基因进行克隆与序列测定,证明该基因全长为1 731 bp,读码框由1 707个碱基组成,编码568 个氨基酸。对HA 基因的进化分析表明,该基因与H5 亚型流感病毒的HA 基因同源性最高,其HA 裂解位点由6 个碱性氨基酸插入序列(RRRKKR)组成,符合高致病性禽流感病毒的分子特征。将HA 基因克隆入杆状病毒转座载体质粒pFastBacⅠ,构建重组质粒pFastBac-HA;再将该重组质粒转化DH10 Bac 感受态细菌,在体内进行重组,并经三重抗性与蓝白斑筛选,得到杆状病毒重组质粒Bacmid-HA;将Bacmid-HA 转染sf9 细胞,获得重组杆状病毒。经Western-blotting 检测,HA 蛋白在重组杆状病毒中获得表达。用感染重组病毒的sf9 细胞免疫小鼠,2 次免疫后2 周可诱导小鼠产生1∶ 8 ～1∶ 16 的血凝抑制抗体,表明虎源流感病毒的HA 基因在重组杆状病毒系统中得到了正确表达。     

Intact Glycopeptide Analysis of Influenza A/H1N1/09 Neuraminidase Revealing the Effects of Host and Glycosite Location on Site‐Specific Glycan Structures

Influenza H1N1 virus has posed a serious threat to human health. The glycosylation of neuraminidase (NA) could affect the infectivity and virulence of the influenza virus, but detailed site‐specific glycosylation information of NA is still missing. In this study, intact glycopeptide analysis is performed on an influenza NA (A/H1N1/California/2009) that is expressed in human 293T and insect Hi‐5 cells. The data indicate that three of four potential N‐linked glycosylation sites are glycosylated, including one partial glycosylation site from both cell lines. The NA expressed in human cells has more complex glycans than that of insect cells, suggesting the importance of selecting an appropriate expression system for the production of functional glycoproteins. Different types of glycans are identified from different glycosites of NA expressed in human cells, which implies the site‐dependence of glycosylation on NA. This study provides valuable information for the research of influenza virus as well as the functions of viral protein glycosylation.     

Serological evidence of transmission of human influenza A and B viruses to Caspian seals (Phoca caspica)

Seroepidemiological surveillance of influenza in Caspian seals (Phoca caspica) was conducted. Antibodies to influenza A virus were detected in 54% (7/13), 57% (4/7), 40% (6/15) and 26% (11/42) of the serum samples collected in 1993, 1997, 1998 and 2000 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In an hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) test using H1-H15 reference influenza A viruses as antigens, more than half of the examined ELISA-positive sera reacted with an H3N2 prototype strain A/Aichi/2/68. These sera were then examined by HI test with a series of naturally occurring antigenic variants of human H3N2 virus, and H3 viruses of swine, duck, and equine origin. The sera reacted strongly with the A/Bangkok/1/79 (H3N2) strain, which was prevalent in humans in 1979-1981. The present results indicate that human A/Bangkok/1/79-like virus was transmitted to Caspian seals probably in the early 1980s, and was circulated in the population. Antibodies to influenza B virus were detected by ELISA in 14% (1/7) and 10% (4/42) serum samples collected from Caspian seals in 1997 and 2000, respectively. Our findings indicate that seal might be a reservoir of both influenza A and B viruses originated from humans.     

The Intranasal Application of Zanamivir and Carrageenan Is Synergistically Active against Influenza A Virus in the Murine Model

Background

Carrageenan is a clinically proven and marketed compound for the treatment of viral upper respiratory tract infections. As infections caused by influenza virus are often accompanied by infections with other respiratory viruses the combination of a specific anti-influenza compound with the broadly active antiviral polymer has huge potential for the treatment of respiratory infections. Thus, the combination of the specific anti-influenza drug Zanamivir together with carrageenan in a formulation suitable for intranasal application was evaluated in-vitro and in-vivo.

Principal Findings

We show in-vitro that carrageenan and Zanamivir act synergistically against several influenza A virus strains (H1N1(09)pdm, H3N2, H5N1, H7N7). Moreover, we demonstrate in a lethal influenza model with a low pathogenic H7N7 virus (HA closely related to the avian influenza A(H7N9) virus) and a H1N1(09)pdm influenza virus in C57BL/6 mice that the combined use of both compounds significantly increases survival of infected animals in comparison with both mono-therapies or placebo. Remarkably, this benefit is maintained even when the treatment starts up to 72 hours post infection.

Conclusion

A nasal spray containing carrageenan and Zanamivir should therefore be tested for prevention and treatment of uncomplicated influenza in clinical trials.     

Origin and molecular characterization of the human-infecting H6N1 influenza virus in Taiwan

In June 2013, the first human H6N1 influenza virus infection was confirmed in Taiwan. However, the origin and molecular characterization of this virus, A/Taiwan/2/2013 (H6N1), have not been well studied thus far. In the present report, we performed phylogenetic and coalescent analyses of this virus and compared its molecular profile/characteristics with other closely related strains. Molecular characterization of H6N1 revealed that it is a typical avian influenza virus of low pathogenicity, which might not replicate and propagate well in the upper airway in mammals. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the virus clusters with A/chicken/Taiwan/A2837/2013 (H6N1) in seven genes, except PB1. For the PB1 gene, A/Taiwan/2/2013 was clustered with a different H6N1 lineage from A/chicken/Taiwan/A2837/2013. Although a previous study demonstrated that the PB2, PA, and M genes of A/Taiwan/2/2013 might be derived from the H5N2 viruses, coalescent analyses revealed that these H5N2 viruses were derived from more recent strains than that of the ancestor of A/Taiwan/2/2013. Therefore, we propose that A/Taiwan/2/2013 is a reassortant from different H6N1 lineages circulating in chickens in Taiwan. Furthermore, compared to avian isolates, a single P186L (H3 numbering) substitution in the hemagglutinin H6 of the human isolate might increase the mammalian receptor binding and, hence, this strain’s pathogenicity in humans. Overall, human infection with this virus seems an accidental event and is unlikely to cause an influenza pandemic. However, its co-circulation and potential reassortment with other influenza subtypes are still worthy of attention.     

H7N9禽流感病毒小鼠感染动物模型的建立

目的建立H7N9禽流感病毒小鼠感染模型。方法 1×108,1×107或1×106TCID50H7N9禽流感病毒原液(A/Anhui/1/2013)滴鼻感染BALB/c小鼠。主要观测指标:临床症状、死亡率、病理变化、病毒载量和血清抗体检测。结果被感染的小鼠表现为竖毛、弓背、体重下降;病理表现为间质性肺炎,感染后第2天开始在呼吸道脱落细胞中检测到病毒;免疫组化或病毒分离方法在肺、肾、脑、肠、脾等组织检测到病毒;感染后14 d在小鼠血清中血凝抑制试验特异性抗体效价达到160;淋巴细胞减少,中性粒细胞增多。结论 H7N9感染BALB/c小鼠模型与人类禽流感感染疾病的基本特征相似,为研究该病的发病机制及药物疫苗的研发提供了工作基础。     

Emerging influenza virus: A global threat

Since 1918, influenza virus has been one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality, especially among young children. Though the commonly circulating strain of the virus is not virulent enough to cause mortality, the ability of the virus genome to mutate at a very high rate may lead to the emergence of a highly virulent strain that may become the cause of the next pandemic. Apart from the influenza virus strain circulating in humans (H1N1 and H3N2), the avian influenza H5N1 H7 and H9 virus strains have also been reported to have caused human infections, H5N1 H7 and H9 have shown their ability to cross the species barrier from birds to humans and further replicate in humans. This review addresses the biological and epidemiological aspects of influenza virus and efforts to have a control on the virus globally.