Detailed analysis of the promoter activity of an attenuated lentivirus.

In spite of an eradication campaign that eliminated clinical cases of caprine arthritis encephalitis virus-induced arthritis in the Swiss goat population, seroconversions are still observed. In the affected flocks, viruses belonging mainly to the small ruminant lentivirus A4 subtype are regularly isolated. These viruses are considered attenuated, except in the mammary gland, where high viral loads and histopathological lesions have been observed. We previously characterized and sequenced such field isolates, detecting several potentially attenuating mutations in their LTR. Here we present a detailed analysis of the promoter activity of these genetic elements, which was comparable to those of virulent isolates. An AP-1 binding site was shown to be crucial for promoter activity in reporter gene assays and also in the context of a replicating molecular clone. Other sites, such as AML(vis) and a conserved E-box, appeared to be less crucial. Analysis of a unique AP-4 site showed a clear discrepancy between results obtained with reporter gene assays and those with mutated viruses. Within the limits of this in vitro study, we did not find evidence pointing to the LTR as the genetic correlate of attenuation for these viruses. Finally, the limited replication of SRLV A4 in mammary cell culture could not explain the suggested mammary tropism. In contrast, and in view of the abundance of macrophages in the mammary gland, it is the striking replication capacity of SRLV A4 in these cells, unaffected by all LTR mutations tested, which may explain the apparent mammary tropism of these viruses.

Post-entry blockade of small ruminant lentiviruses by wild ruminants.

Small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV) infection causes losses in the small ruminant industry due to reduced animal production and increased replacement rates. Infection of wild ruminants in close contact with infected domestic animals has been proposed to play a role in SRLV epidemiology, but studies are limited and mostly involve hybrids between wild and domestic animals. In this study, SRLV seropositive red deer, roe deer and mouflon were detected through modified ELISA tests, but virus was not successfully amplified using a set of different PCRs. Apparent restriction of SRLV infection in cervids was not related to the presence of neutralizing antibodies. In vitro cultured skin fibroblastic cells from red deer and fallow deer were permissive to the SRLV entry and integration, but produced low quantities of virus. SRLV got rapidly adapted in vitro to blood-derived macrophages and skin fibroblastic cells from red deer but not from fallow deer. Thus, although direct detection of virus was not successfully achieved in vivo, these findings show the potential susceptibility of wild ruminants to SRLV infection in the case of red deer and, on the other hand, an in vivo SRLV restriction in fallow deer. Altogether these results may highlight the importance of surveilling and controlling SRLV infection in domestic as well as in wild ruminants sharing pasture areas, and may provide new natural tools to control SRLV spread in sheep and goats.

Mannose receptor may be involved in small ruminant lentivirus pathogenesis.

Thirty-one sheep naturally infected with small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLV) of known genotype (A or B), and clinically affected with neurological disease, pneumonia or arthritis were used to analyse mannose receptor (MR) expression (transcript levels) and proviral load in virus target tissues (lung, mammary gland, CNS and carpal joints). Control sheep were SRLV-seropositive asymptomatic (n = 3), seronegative (n = 3) or with chronic listeriosis, pseudotuberculosis or parasitic cysts (n = 1 in each case). MR expression and proviral load increased with the severity of lesions in most analyzed organs of the SRLV infected sheep and was detected in the affected tissue involved in the corresponding clinical disease (CNS, lung and carpal joint in neurological disease, pneumonia and arthritis animal groups, respectively). The increased MR expression appeared to be SRLV specific and may have a role in lentiviral pathogenesis.

Diagnosing infection with small ruminant lentiviruses of genotypes A and B by combining synthetic peptides in ELISA.

The major challenges in diagnosing small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV) infection include early detection and genotyping of strains of epidemiological interest. A longitudinal study was carried out in Rasa Aragonesa sheep experimentally infected with viral strains of genotypes A or B from Spanish neurological and arthritic SRLV outbreaks, respectively. Sera were tested with two commercial ELISAs, three based on specific peptides and a novel combined peptide ELISA. Three different PCR assays were used to further assess infection status. The kinetics of anti-viral antibody responses were variable, with early diagnosis dependent on the type of ELISA used. Peptide epitopes of SRLV genotypes A and B combined in the same ELISA well enhanced the overall detection rate, whereas single peptides were useful for genotyping the infecting strain (A vs. B). The results of the study suggest that a combined peptide ELISA can be used for serological diagnosis of SRLV infection, with single peptide ELISAs useful for subsequent serotyping.

Modulation of the long terminal repeat promoter activity of small ruminant lentiviruses by steroids.

Production and excretion of small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLVs) varies with the stage of the host reproductive cycle, suggesting hormonal involvement in this variation. Stress may also affect viral expression. To determine if hormones affect SRLV transcriptional activity, the expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) driven by the promoters in the U3-cap region of the long terminal repeats (LTRs) of different strains of SRLV was assessed in cell culture. High concentrations of steroids (progesterone, cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone) inhibited expression of GFP driven by SRLV promoters. This effect decreased in a dose-dependent manner with decreasing concentrations of steroids. In some strains, physiological concentrations of cortisol or dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) induced the expression of GFP above the baseline. There was strain variation in sensitivity to hormones, but this differed for different hormones. The presence of deletions and a 43 base repeat in the U3 region upstream of the TATA box of the LTR made strain EV1 less sensitive to DHEA. However, no clear tendencies or patterns were observed when comparing strains of different genotypes and/or subtypes, or those triggering different forms of disease.

Use of recombinant interferon omega in feline retrovirosis: from theory to practice.

Type-I interferons (IFNs) are cytokines that have non-specific antiviral activity, participating mostly in innate defense mechanisms. Their administration has been proposed to treat several viral and immunomediated diseases as an immunomodulatory therapy. Due to its availability, recombinant human interferon-alpha (rHuIFN-α) has been studied in relation to feline retrovirosis, both in vitro and in vivo. However, IFNs are species-specific and antibodies have been shown to develop in response to the high rHuIFN-α doses necessary for an effective therapy. A recombinant feline IFN has been developed, which has been characterized as interferon-omega (rFeIFN-ω), designed to overcome these problems. Nonetheless, very few studies have been undertaken to evaluate its efficacy in cats naturally infected with FIV or FeLV. In an initial study, we here demonstrated that rFeIFN-ω can dramatically improve the clinical condition of infected cats, and induce improvement of hematologic parameters. Minor changes or no change was observed for hypergammaglobulinemia, CD4/CD8 ratio, proviral load, viremia and RT activity, suggesting that the overall effect of IFN was on innate immunity. More studies are needed in order to better understand its in vivo mechanisms.