Protruding domain of capsid protein is necessary and sufficient to determine murine norovirus replication and pathogenesis in vivo

Human noroviruses (HuNoVs) are the major cause of epidemic, nonbacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. Due to the lack of a tractable model system and the inability to grow HuNoVs in cell culture, factors required for the norovirus (NoV) life cycle and pathogenesis in the host remain largely unknown. The discovery of murine norovirus (MNV) and the development of reverse-genetics systems for this virus provide an opportunity to study these aspects of NoV infection in vitro and in vivo. Previous studies identified a single amino acid at residue 296 in the protruding (P) domain of the capsid protein that is responsible for determining the virulence of the MNV clone MNV1.CW1 in 12956/SvEv background STAT1-deficient (STAT1(-/-)) mice. In this report, we identified and characterized another determinant of lethality in the P domain that is necessary and sufficient to determine the replication and pathogenesis of the MNV clones MNV1.CW3 and CR6.STL1 in C57BL/6 background STAT1(-/-) mice. Furthermore, we describe how the role of residue 296 in MNV virulence differs between STAT1(-/-) mouse strains. We also describe potential interactions between subdomains of the P domain, as well as between other virus elements, which facilitate recovery of MNV using a reverse-genetics system.     

Murine norovirus, a recently discovered and highly prevalent viral agent of mice

Murine norovirus (MNV), a recently discovered viral agent of laboratory mice, is closely related to human norovirus, a contagious pathogen known to cause gastroenteritis. The prototype strain of MNV (MNV-1) was first isolated and characterized in 2003 as a sporadic, lethal pathogen in certain strains of immunocompromised knockout mice. Serological surveillance data from mouse colonies throughout the US and Canada have since shown that MNV is highly prevalent. Because MNV is unique among norovirus strains in its ability to replicate in cell culture, it serves as the most accessible model to elucidate the mechanisms of infection and replication of human norovirus. The author discusses the genetic diversity of MNV, its prevalence, pathology and potential research implications, as well as techniques for detection and eradication of this virus.     

Antibody is critical for the clearance of murine norovirus infection

Human noroviruses cause more than 90% of epidemic nonbacterial gastroenteritis. However, the role of B cells and antibody in the immune response to noroviruses is unclear. Previous studies have demonstrated that human norovirus specific antibody levels increase upon infection, but they may not be protective against infection. In this report, we used murine norovirus (MNV), an enteric norovirus, as a model to determine the importance of norovirus specific B cells and immune antibody in clearance of norovirus infection. We show here that mice genetically deficient in B cells failed to clear primary MNV infection as effectively as wild-type mice. In addition, adoptively transferred immune splenocytes derived from B-cell-deficient mice or antibody production-deficient mice were unable to efficiently clear persistent MNV infection in RAG1(-/-) mice. Further, adoptive transfer of either polyclonal anti-MNV serum or neutralizing anti-MNV monoclonal antibodies was sufficient to reduce the level of MNV infection both systemically and in the intestine. Together, these data demonstrate that antibody plays an important role in the clearance of MNV and that immunoglobulin G anti-norovirus antibody can play an important role in clearing mucosal infection.     

小鼠诺如病毒分离鉴定及病毒衣壳蛋白基因序列分析

目的了解广东地区小鼠诺如病毒（murine norovirus,MNV）的分子遗传特征和进化来源。方法采用小鼠巨噬细胞系RAW264.7细胞对RT-PCR检测为阳性的小鼠样本进行病毒分离,通过细胞病变、RT-PCR、间接免疫荧光试验、测序方法对病毒分离株进行鉴定。应用RT-PCR技术针对15株MNV分离株的VP1基因的1626个核苷酸片段进行基因扩增,将扩增产物连接在pMD18-T载体后转化到大肠杆菌中进行克隆。通过氨苄青霉素平皿筛选,将鉴定为阳性的克隆菌进行核苷酸序列测定及序列分析。将这15株MNV分离株与从GenBank获得的19株MNV参考株进行序列比较分析,基于VP1基因的1626核苷酸片段构建系统发生进化树,一起进行分子流行病学研究。结果从80个小鼠样本中分离到了15株MNV病毒,通过细胞病变试验、RT-PCR试验、间接免疫荧光试验和测序分析鉴定确认分离到的病毒为MNV。序列分析结果显示MNV分离株的VP1蛋白基因全长均为1626个核苷酸,广东地区15株MNV分离株的核苷酸和氨基酸同源性分别在89.7%~100%和94.8%~100%之间,15株MNV分离株与其他19株MNV参考毒株核苷酸和氨基酸同源性分别在87.5%~92.9%和92.4%~98.2%之间。进化树分析表明来自设施A和设施D的13株病毒之间的亲缘关系较近,同属一个进化分支。来自设施B的ZD-1毒株和设施C的ZYY-163毒株与来自广东（K162）、日本（S7-P2、S7-PP3）、韩国（K4）和德国（Berlin/04/06/DE、Berlin/05/06/DE）同属另一个进化分支。结论成功分离到15株MNV病毒。遗传进化分析表明广东地区的MNV分离株来源并不相同,来自设施B和设施C的MNV分离株与国外分离株的亲缘关系较近,而来自设施A和设施D的13株MNV分离株可能是本地固有的毒株。     

Norovirus regulation of the innate immune response and apoptosis occurs via the product of the alternative open reading frame 4

Small RNA viruses have evolved many mechanisms to increase the capacity of their short genomes. Here we describe the identification and characterization of a novel open reading frame (ORF4) encoded by the murine norovirus (MNV) subgenomic RNA, in an alternative reading frame overlapping the VP1 coding region. ORF4 is translated during virus infection and the resultant protein localizes predominantly to the mitochondria. Using reverse genetics we demonstrated that expression of ORF4 is not required for virus replication in tissue culture but its loss results in a fitness cost since viruses lacking the ability to express ORF4 restore expression upon repeated passage in tissue culture. Functional analysis indicated that the protein produced from ORF4 antagonizes the innate immune response to infection by delaying the upregulation of a number of cellular genes activated by the innate pathway, including IFN-Beta. Apoptosis in the RAW264.7 macrophage cell line was also increased during virus infection in the absence of ORF4 expression. In vivo analysis of the WT and mutant virus lacking the ability to express ORF4 demonstrated an important role for ORF4 expression in infection and virulence. STAT1-/- mice infected with a virus lacking the ability to express ORF4 showed a delay in the onset of clinical signs when compared to mice infected with WT virus. Quantitative PCR and histopathological analysis of samples from these infected mice demonstrated that infection with a virus not expressing ORF4 results in a delayed infection in this system. In light of these findings we propose the name virulence factor 1, VF1 for this protein. The identification of VF1 represents the first characterization of an alternative open reading frame protein for the calicivirus family. The immune regulatory function of the MNV VF1 protein provide important perspectives for future research into norovirus biology and pathogenesis.     

广东省实验小鼠自然感染鼠诺如病毒的调查

目的了解广东省实验小鼠自然感染小鼠诺如病毒（murine norovirus,MNV）的情况。方法随机抽取广东省7个繁育设施的小鼠206只,应用逆转录-聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）方法检测其感染MNV的情况。结果共检测小鼠盲肠内容物206份,阳性样本为77份,阳性率为37.38%。3个设施的小鼠感染MNV,各品系小鼠易感性差异无显著。结论证实广东省小鼠存在MNV感染,部分设施小鼠MNV感染率很高,需加强动物的饲养管理。RT-PCR方法可以应用于MNV感染检测。     

Kinetics of Transmission, Infectivity, and Genome Stability of Two Novel Mouse Norovirus Isolates in Breeding Mice

Murine noroviruses are a recently discovered group of viruses found within mouse research colonies in many animal facilities worldwide. In this study, we used 2 novel mouse norovirus (MNV) wildtype isolates to examine the kinetics of transmission and tissue distribution in breeding units of NOD.CB17-Prkdc^scid/J and backcrossed NOD.CB17-Prkdc^scid/J × NOD/ShiLtJ (N1) mice. Viral shedding in feces and dissemination to tissues of infected offspring mice were monitored by RT-PCR over a 6-wk period postpartum. Histologic sections of tissues from mice exposed to MNV were examined for lesions and their sera monitored for the presence of antibodies to MNV. Viruses shed in feces of parental and offspring mice were compared for sequence homology of the Orf2 gene. Studies showed that the wildtype viruses MNV5 and MNV6 behaved differently in terms of the kinetics of transmission and distribution to tissues of offspring mice. For MNV5, virus transmission from parents to offspring was not seen before 3 wk after birth, and neither isolate was transmitted between cages of infected and control mice. Susceptibility to infection was statistically different between the 2 mouse strains used in the study. Both immunodeficient NOD.CB17-Prkdc^scid/J mice and NOD.CB17-Prkdc^scid/J × NOD/ShiLtJ offspring capable of mounting an immune response shed virus in their feces throughout the 6-wk study period, but no gross or histologic lesions were present in infected tissues. Progeny viruses isolated from the feces of infected offspring showed numerous mutations in the Orf2 gene for MNV5 but not MNV6. These results confirm previous studies demonstrating that the biology of MNV in mice varies substantially with each virus isolate and mouse strain infected.Abbreviations: MNV, murine norovirus; MLN, mesenteric lymph nodes; NOD-scid, NOD.CB17-Prkdc^scid/J; VP1, viral protein 1The recent discovery of murine-specific noroviruses¹⁵ has stimulated concern in the laboratory animal health community regarding the potential for this group of viruses to cause disease in breeding colonies of mice or to negatively impact research with mice from norovirus infected colonies. Current knowledge of the biology of noroviruses in mice (MNV) is constrained by the limited number of virus isolates and mouse strains studied. One study¹⁵described the biologic and physicochemical properties of the original MNV1 isolated from mice deficient in a specific innate immune function. More recently, this innate immune deficiency has been mapped to STAT1 regulation of IFNαβ secretion.²¹Previous work¹⁵ demonstrated that inoculation of MNV1 into mouse strains deficient in the acquired immune response (129 RAG 2^−/−, B6 RAG1^−/−) resulted in the development of persistent infections with no evidence of disease, whereas inoculation of fully immunocompetent mice (129S6/SvEvTac) resulted in rapid elimination of MNV1, with viral RNA undetectable in the viscera by 3 d after inoculation. More recently, infections of outbred immunocompetent mouse strains with 3 wildtype isolates of MNV obtained from different geographic areas of the United States have been described.¹¹ Virus was detected in the feces and tissue of infected mice throughout the 8-wk study, suggesting that some isolates of MNV may persistently infect immunocompetent mice.The purpose of the present investigation was to extend the current knowledge of MNV by using 2 isolates of the virus in mouse strains that have not been previously used as infection models for MNV. We examined natural virus transmission from infected breeders to offspring, kinetics of infection within litters of infected breeding mice, and the pathogenesis of infection in breeding colonies of mice. In addition, we examined the effect of virus passage from parents to offspring on genomic stability of these 2 viral isolates. Exposure of offspring of immunodeficient mice and immunocompetent mice to the 2 different isolates of MNV resulted in different patterns of virus transmission, susceptibility to infection and kinetics of infection as shown by the progressive spread of virus within litters and in intestinal and extraintestinal tissues. MNV was shed persistently in the feces of all mice tested regardless of immune status, and viral progeny isolated from offspring mice contained genome sequence differences from the parent virus in the Orf2 gene, an area of the MNV genome known to be susceptible to mutations.     

Murine norovirus increases atherosclerotic lesion size and macrophages in Ldlr(-/-) mice

Murine norovirus (MNV) is prevalent in rodent facilities in the United States. Because MNV has a tropism for macrophages and dendritic cells, we hypothesized that it may alter phenotypes of murine models of inflammatory diseases, such as obesity and atherosclerosis. We examined whether MNV infection influences phenotypes associated with diet-induced obesity and atherosclerosis by using Ldlr(-/-) mice. Male Ldlr(-/-) mice were maintained on either a diabetogenic or high-fat diet for 16 wk, inoculated with either MNV or vehicle, and monitored for changes in body weight, blood glucose, glucose tolerance, and insulin sensitivity. Influence of MNV on atherosclerosis was analyzed by determining aortic sinus lesion area. Under both dietary regimens, MNV-infected and control mice gained similar amounts of weight and developed similar degrees of insulin resistance. However, MNV infection was associated with significant increases in aortic sinus lesion area and macrophage content in Ldlr(-/-) mice fed a high-fat diet but not those fed a diabetogenic diet. In conclusion, MNV infection exacerbates atherosclerosis in Ldlr(-/-) mice fed a high-fat diet but does not influence obesity- and diabetes-related phenotypes. Increased lesion size was associated with increased macrophages, suggesting that MNV may influence macrophage activation or accumulation in the lesion area.     

Diversity of murine norovirus strains isolated from asymptomatic mice of different genetic backgrounds within a single U.S. research institute

Antibody prevalence studies in laboratory mice indicate that murine norovirus (MNV) infections are common, but the natural history of these viruses has not been fully established. This study examined the extent of genetic diversity of murine noroviruses isolated from healthy laboratory mice housed in multiple animal facilities within a single, large research institute- the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health (NIAID-NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland, U.S. Ten distinct murine norovirus strains were isolated from various tissues and feces of asymptomatic wild type sentinel mice as well as asymptomatic immunodeficient (RAG 2(-/-)) mice. The NIH MNV isolates showed little cytopathic effect in permissive RAW264.7 cells in early passages, but all isolates examined could be adapted to efficient growth in cell culture by serial passage. The viruses, although closely related in genome sequence, were distinguishable from each other according to facility location, likely due to the introduction of new viruses into each facility from separate sources or vendors at different times. Our study indicates that the murine noroviruses are widespread in these animal facilities, despite rigorous guidelines for animal care and maintenance.     

Caliciviruses differ in their functional requirements for eIF4F components

Two classes of viruses, namely members of the Potyviridae and Caliciviridae, use a novel mechanism for the initiation of protein synthesis that involves the interaction of translation initiation factors with a viral protein covalently linked to the viral RNA, known as VPg. The calicivirus VPg proteins can interact directly with the initiation factors eIF4E and eIF3. Translation initiation on feline calicivirus (FCV) RNA requires eIF4E because it is inhibited by recombinant 4E-BP1. However, to date, there have been no functional studies carried out with respect to norovirus translation initiation, because of a lack of a suitable source of VPg-linked viral RNA. We have now used the recently identified murine norovirus (MNV) as a model system for norovirus translation and have extended our previous studies with FCV RNA to examine the role of the other eIF4F components in translation initiation. We now demonstrate that, as with FCV, MNV VPg interacts directly with eIF4E, although, unlike FCV RNA, translation of MNV RNA is not sensitive to 4E-BP1, eIF4E depletion, or foot-and-mouth disease virus Lb protease-mediated cleavage of eIF4G. We also demonstrate that both FCV and MNV RNA translation require the RNA helicase component of the eIF4F complex, namely eIF4A, because translation was sensitive (albeit to different degrees) to a dominant negative form and to a small molecule inhibitor of eIF4A (hippuristanol). These results suggest that calicivirus RNAs differ with respect to their requirements for the components of the eIF4F translation initiation complex.     

上海地区小鼠诺瓦克病毒的检测分析及病毒分离

目的了解上海地区实验小鼠自然感染小鼠诺瓦克病毒(murine norovirus,MNV)的状况,并分离毒株。方法抽取委托检测单位送检的SPF小鼠319只,分别采集盲肠内容物及血液样本,应用逆转录-聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)方法扩增小鼠盲肠内容物样本中MNV的特异性基因片段来检测MNV的感染情况,同时采用酶联免疫吸附试验(enzyme linked immunosorbent assay,ELISA)与核酸检测方法进行对比。将RT-PCR扩增结果为阳性的盲肠内容物样本稀释并经0.22μm滤膜过滤,接种到小鼠巨噬细胞系RAW 264.7细胞,盲传后采用RT-PCR方法鉴定。结果 RT-PCR检测的319份小鼠盲肠内容物样本中,阳性样本95份,阳性率为29.78%。对180份经RTPCR检测的小鼠血清进行ELISA检测,阳性样本70份,阳性率为38.89%。RAW 264.7细胞盲传5代后在72 h内出现细胞病变,经RT-PCR鉴定,显示187 bp的目的条带。结论通过核酸检测方法和血清学方法证实上海地区实验小鼠存在MNV自然感染,且感染率较高,应加强实验小鼠的饲养管理。     

Murine noroviruses comprising a single genogroup exhibit biological diversity despite limited sequence divergence

Viruses within the genus Norovirus of the family Caliciviridae are the major cause of acute, nonbacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. Human noroviruses are genetically diverse, with up to 57% divergence in capsid protein sequences, and comprise three genogroups. The significance of such genetic diversity is not yet understood. The discovery of murine norovirus (MNV) and its ability to productively infect cultured murine macrophages and dendritic cells has provided an opportunity to determine the functional consequences of norovirus diversity in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, we compared the full-length genomes of 21 new MNV isolates with five previously sequenced MNV genomes and demonstrated a conserved genomic organization consisting of four open reading frames (ORFs) and a previously unknown region of nucleotide conservation in ORF2. A phylogenetic analysis of all 26 MNV genomes revealed 15 distinct MNV strains, with up to 13% divergence at the nucleotide level, that comprise a single genotype and genogroup. Evidence for recombination within ORF2 in several MNV genomes was detected by multiple methods. Serological analyses comparing neutralizing antibody responses between highly divergent strains suggested that the MNV genogroup comprises a single serotype. Within this single genogroup, MNV strains exhibited considerable biological diversity in their ability to grow in culture and to infect and/or persist in wild-type mice. The isolation and characterization of multiple MNV strains illustrate how genetic analysis may underestimate the biological diversity of noroviruses and provide a molecular map for future studies of MNV biology.     

Murine Norovirus 1 (MNV1) Replication Induces Translational Control of the Host by Regulating eIF4E Activity during Infection

Protein synthesis is a tightly controlled process responding to several stimuli, including viral infection. As obligate intracellular parasites, viruses depend on the translation machinery of the host and can manipulate it by affecting the availability and function of specific eukaryotic initiation factors (eIFs). Human norovirus is a member of the Caliciviridae family and is responsible for gastroenteritis outbreaks. Previous studies on feline calicivirus and murine norovirus 1 (MNV1) demonstrated that the viral protein, genome-linked (VPg), acts to direct translation by hijacking the host protein synthesis machinery. Here we report that MNV1 infection modulates the MAPK pathway to activate eIF4E phosphorylation. Our results show that the activation of p38 and Mnk during MNV1 infection is important for MNV1 replication. Furthermore, phosphorylated eIF4E relocates to the polysomes, and this contributes to changes in the translational state of specific host mRNAs. We propose that global translational control of the host by eIF4E phosphorylation is a key component of the host-pathogen interaction.     

Lack of effect of murine norovirus infection on a mouse model of bacteria-induced colon cancer

Murine norovirus (MNV) is endemic in mouse research facilities in the United States and Europe, with a prevalence as high as 58% to 64%. Because of MNV's orofecal route of infection, clinically silent persistent infections in some mouse strains, and proclivity for macrophage and dendritic cells, its presence in mouse colonies has potential to alter phenotypes in experimental mouse models, particularly those involving inflammation and immunologic responses. Although MNV is subclinical, not causing overt disease in immunocompetent mice, we found that MNV infection can accelerate bacteria-induced inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) progression in Mdr1a(-/-) mice. The studies presented here examined whether MNV infection also affects the phenotype of a bacterially driven mouse model of inflammation-associated colon cancer in genetically susceptible Smad3(-/-) mice. In vitro culture of bone-marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) was used to determine whether MNV4 influenced macrophage cytokine production. For in vivo studies, Smad3(-/-) mice were infected with MNV4 one week prior to infection with Helicobacter. Mice were monitored for 17 to 32 wk for development of IBD and colon cancer, and tissues were analyzed histopathologically. Although in vitro infection of BMDM with MNV4 led to increased inflammatory cytokine production, infection with MNV4 in vivo did not result in any statistically significant differences in survival, IBD scores, tumor incidence, or tumor phenotype in Smad3(-/-) mice. In addition, MNV infection alone did not result in IBD or colon cancer. Therefore MNV infection alone or in conjunction with Helicobacter does not alter the development or progression of IBD or colon cancer in Smad3(-/-) mice.     

Effect of Hypochlorite-Based Disinfectants on Inactivation of Murine Norovirus and Attempt to Eliminate or Prevent Infection in Mice by Additionto Drinking Water

We evaluated the in vitro efficacy of weak acid hypochlorous solution (WAHS) against murine norovirus (MNV) by plaque assay and compared the efficacy with diluted NaOCl (Purelox) and 70% ethanol. WAHS was as effective as 70% ethanol and diluted Purelox for 0.5-min reactions. For 0.5-min reactions in the presence of mouse feces emulsion, the efficacy of WHAS and 1:600 diluted Purelox was decreased, reducing the virus titers by 2.3 and 2.6 log₁₀, respectively, while 70% ethanol reduced the titer by more than 5 log₁₀. However, WAHS showed more than 5 log₁₀ reductions for the 5-min reaction even in the presence of feces emulsion. Since WAHS showed enough efficacy in inactivating MNV in vitro, we tried to eliminate MNV from MNV-infected mice by substituting WAHS for their drinking water. However, MNV was found to be positive in feces of mice drinking WAHS by an RT-nested PCR and plaque assay. To investigate whether hypochlorite-based disinfectants could prevent infection of a mouse with MNV, WAHS or 1:6,000 diluted Purelox was substituted for the drinking water of mice for 2 or 4 weeks, and then the mice were placed in a cage with an MNV-infected mouse. The supply of disinfectants was continued after cohabitation, but MNV was detected in the feces of all the mice at 1 week after cohabitation. In this study, we tried to eliminate and prevent MNV infection from mice by supplying hypochlorite-based disinfectants as an easy and low-cost method. Unfortunately, drinking disinfectants was ineffective, so it is important to keep the facility environment clean by use of effective disinfectants. Also, animals introduced into facilities should be tested as MNV free by quarantine and periodically confirmed as MNV free by microbiological monitoring.