Comprehensive mapping of antigenic linear B-cell epitopes on K205R protein of African swine fever virus with monoclonal antibodies.

African swine fever virus causes an acute, highly contagious swine disease with high mortality, leading to enormous losses in the pig industry. The K205R, a nonstructural protein of African swine fever virus, is abundantly expressed in the cytoplasm of infected cells at the early stage of infection and induces a strong immune response. However, to date, the antigenic epitopes of this immunodeterminant have not been characterized. In the present study, the K205R protein was expressed in a mammalian cell line and purified using Ni-affinity chromatography. Furthermore, three monoclonal antibodies (mAbs; 5D6, 7A8, and 7H10) against K205R were generated. Indirect immunofluorescence assay and western blot results showed that all three mAbs recognized native and denatured K205R in African swine fever virus (ASFV)-infected cells. To identify the epitopes of the mAbs, a series of overlapping short peptides were designed and expressed as fusion proteins with maltose-binding protein. Subsequently, the peptide fusion proteins were probed with monoclonal antibodies using western blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The three target epitopes were fine-mapped; the core sequences of recognized by the mAbs 5D6, 7A8, and 7H10 were identified as 157FLTPEIQAILDE168, 154REKFLTP160, and 136PTNAMFFTRSEWA148, respectively. Probing with sera from ASFV-infected pigs in a dot blot assay demonstrated that epitope 7H10 was the immunodominant epitope of K205R. Sequence alignment showed that all epitopes were conserved across ASFV strains and genotypes. To our knowledge, this is the first study to characterize the epitopes of the antigenic K205R protein of ASFV. These findings may serve as a basis for the development of serological diagnostic methods and subunit vaccines.

Isolation and molecular characterization of bovine herpesvirus 4 from cattle in mainland China.

Bovine herpesvirus 4 (BoHV-4) is one of the most important of the known viral respiratory and reproductive pathogens of both young and adult cattle. However, BoHV-4 has not been isolated or detected in mainland China prior to this study. In 2019, BoHV-4 strain 512 was isolated from cattle in Heilongjiang Province, China, using MDBK cells, and characterized by PCR, nucleotide sequence analysis, and transmission electron microscopy. Two other unknown herpesvirus strains, BL6010 and J4034, which were isolated from cattle in 2009 in China and stored at -70℃, were also propagated in MDBK cells and identified as BoHV-4 by PCR. Phylogenetic analysis based on partial nucleotide sequences of the thymidine kinase (TK) gene and glycoprotein B (gB) gene for the three isolates indicated that these three Chinese strains belong to BoHV-4 genotype 1. A preliminary virus neutralization test revealed that 64% of the 70 bovine sera (45/70) collected from Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China, had anti-BoHV-4 antibodies and that natural BoHV-4 infection occurred in cattle in China. Here, we report for the first time the isolation and molecular characterization of BoHV-4 from cattle in mainland China.

Identification of three antigen epitopes on the nucleocapsid protein of the genotype C of bovine parainfluenza virus type 3.

Bovine parainfluenza virus type 3 (BPIV3) is an important respiratory tract pathogen for both young and adult cattle. So far, three genotypes A, B and C of BPIV3 have been described on the basis of genetic and phylogenetic analysis. But fine mapping of epitopes of BPIV3 is scant and the antigenic variations among the three genotypes of BPIV3 have not been reported. Nucleocapsid protein (NP) is the most abundant protein in the virion and highly conserved in BPIV3, which is crucial for the induction of protective immunity in host. To identify antigenic determinants of BPIV3 NP, a panel of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) was tested against a series of overlapping recombinant NP fragments expressed in Escherichia coli. Firstly, six monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against NP of the genotype C of BPIV3 (BPIV3c) were generated by using the purified BPIV3c strain SD0835 as immunogen and the recombinant NP of SD0835 as screening antigen. Then three antigen epitopes were identified with the six mAbs. One epitope (91)GNNADVKYVIYM(102) was recognized by mAb 5E5. The mAbs 7G5, 7G8, 7G9, and 7H5 were reactive with another epitope (407)FYKPTGG(413). The third epitope (428)ESRGDQDQ(435) was reactive with mAb 6F8. Further analysis showed that the epitope (91-102 amino acids [aa]) was the most conserved and reactive with mAb 5E5 for all three genotypes of BPIV3 and HPIV3. The epitope (407-413 aa) was relatively conserved and reactive with mAbs 7G5, 7G8, 7G9, and 7H5 for BPIV3a, BPIV3c and HPIV3, but not reactive with BPIV3b. The epitope (428-435 aa) was less conserved and was reactive only with mAb 6F8 for BPIV3a and BPIV3c. These results suggested that there were evident antigenic variations among the three genotypes of BPIV3 and HPIV3. The mAb 6F8 could be used to detect BPIV3a and BPIV3c. The mAbs 7G5, 7G8, 7G9, and 7H5 might be used for differentiate BPIV3a, BPIV3c and HPIV3 from BPIV3b. The mAb 5E5 might be used for detecting all three types of BPIV3 and HPIV3. The results in this study would have potential applications in the development of suitable diagnostic techniques for BPIV3, which was prevalent in China.

Pathogenesis of a Chinese strain of bovine adenovirus type 3 infection in albino guinea pigs.

Bovine adenovirus type 3 (BAV-3) is considered one of the most important respiratory tract agents of cattle and is widespread among cattle around the world. A BAV-3 strain was isolated from a bovine nasal swab for the first time in China in 2009 and named HLJ0955. Subsequently, BAV-3 has frequently been isolated from calves with respiratory diseases in China. To date, only limited study on the pathogenesis of BAV-3 infection in cotton rats has been conducted, and the pathogenesis of BAV-3 infection in guinea pigs has not been reported. Therefore, sixteen albino guinea pigs were inoculated intranasally with HLJ0955. All of the infected guinea pigs had apparently elevated rectal temperatures (39.2 °C-39.9 °C) at 2-7 days post-inoculation (PI). Consolidation and petechial hemorrhage were also observed in guinea pigs experimentally infected with HLJ0955. Viral replication was detectable by virus isolation and titration and by immunohistochemistry in the lungs of guinea pigs as early as 24 h PI. Viral DNA was detectable in the lungs of infected guinea pigs during 11 days of observation by real-time PCR. Virus-neutralizing antibodies against BAV-3 were detectable from 11 days PI and reached a peak titer at 15 days PI. Histopathological changes mainly occurred in the lungs of infected guinea pigs and were characterized by thickening of alveolar septa, mononuclear cell infiltration, hemorrhage and alveolar epithelial necrosis. These results indicate that HLJ0955 can replicate in the lungs of guinea pigs and cause fever and gross and histological lesions. The guinea pig infection model of BAV-3 would serve as a useful system for monitoring the infection process and pathogenesis of the Chinese BAV-3 strain HLJ0955, as well as immune responses to BAV-3 vaccines.

Pathogenesis of a genotype C strain of bovine parainfluenza virus type 3 infection in albino guinea pigs.

Bovine parainfluenza virus type 3 (BPIV3) is one of the most important of the known viral respiratory tract agents of both young and adult cattle and widespread among cattle around the world. Up to present, three genotypes A, B and C of BPIV3 have been described on the basis of genetic and phylogenetic analysis and only limited studies on the pathogenesis of the genotype A of BPIV3 infection in calves and laboratory animals have been performed. The report about experimental infections of the genotypes B and C of BPIV3 in laboratory animals and calves was scant. Therefore, an experimental infection of guinea pigs with the Chinese BPIV3 strain SD0835 of the genotype C was performed. Sixteen guinea pigs were intranasally inoculated with the suspension of SD0835, while eight control guinea pigs were also intranasally inoculated with the same volume of supernatant from uninfected MDBK cells. The virus-inoculated guinea pigs displayed a few observable clinical signs that were related to the respiratory tract disease and two of the sixteen experimentally infected guinea pigs died at 2 and 3 days post inoculation (PI), respectively, and apparent gross pneumonic lesions were observed at necropsy. The gross pneumonic lesions in guinea pigs inoculated with SD0835 consisted of dark red, slightly depressed, irregular areas of consolidation in the lung lobes from the second to 9th day of infection at necropsy, and almost complete consolidation and atelectasis of the lung lobes were seen at 7 days PI. Histopathological changes including alveoli septa thickening and focal cellulose pneumonia were also observed in the lungs of guinea pigs experimentally infected with SD0835. Viral replication was detectable by virus isolation and titration, real-time RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining in the respiratory tissues of guinea pigs as early as 24h after intranasal inoculation with SD0835. The results of virus isolation and titration showed that guinea pigs were permissive for SD0835 replication and exhibited a higher virus replication level in both lungs and tracheas. As well, the results of IHC staining implicated that the lungs and tracheas were the major tissues in which SD0835 replicated. Virus-specific serum neutralizing antibodies against BPIV3 were detected in virus-inoculated guinea pigs. The aforementioned results indicated that BPIV3 strain SD0835 of the genotype C was pathogenic to guinea pigs and could cause a few observable clinical signs, and gross and histologic lesions in virus-inoculated guinea pigs. Thus guinea pig is an ideal laboratory animal infection model for BPIV3 and would cast more light on the genotype C of BPIV3 infection process, in vivo tropism and pathogenesis or serve as a useful system for monitoring the pathogenesis of SD0835 and other BPIV3 isolates.

Studies on the pathogenesis of a Chinese strain of bovine parainfluenza virus type 3 infection in Balb/c mice.

To date, three genotypes A, B, and C of bovine parainfluenza virus type 3 (BPIV3) have been isolated from cattle and only limited studies on the pathogenesis of the genotype A of BPIV3 infection in calves and laboratory animals have been conducted. The pathogenesis of the genotypes B and C of BPIV3 infection in calves and laboratory animals have not been reported. To alleviate the difficulties associated with sourcing suitable calves for infection studies, the establishment of BPIV3 infection model using laboratory model animals could aid in increasing the knowledge of the pathogenesis of this virus. Therefore thirty Balb/c mice were intranasally inoculated with a Chinese BPIV3 strain SD0835 which was classified as genotype C. Virus replications in mice were demonstrated by using virus isolation and titration, immunofluorescent staining, and immunohistochemistry and had occurred in the respiratory tissues as early as 24h after intranasal inoculation. The results of immunofluorescent staining and IHC implicated that the lungs and tracheas might be the major tissues in which the SD0835 infected and replicated. The histopathologic examinations revealed that alveoli septa thickening and focal cellulose pneumonia were seen in the lungs of experimentally infected mice. The aforementioned results indicated that the SD0835 of the genotype C was pathogenic to Balb/c mice and the mouse infection model could cast light on the genotype C of BPIV3 infection process and pathogenesis.

Isolation, identification, and complete genome sequence of a bovine adenovirus type 3 from cattle in China.

BACKGROUND: Bovine adenovirus type 3 (BAV-3) belongs to the Mastadenovirus genus of the family Adenoviridae and is involved in respiratory and enteric infections of calves. The isolation of BAV-3 has not been reported prior to this study in China. In 2009, there were many cases in cattle showing similar clinical signs to BAV-3 infection and a virus strain, showing cytopathic effect in Madin-Darby bovine kidney cells, was isolated from a bovine nasal swab collected from feedlot cattle in Heilongjiang Province, China. The isolate was confirmed as a bovine adenovirus type 3 by PCR and immunofluorescence assay, and named as HLJ0955. So far only the complete genome sequence of prototype of BAV-3 WBR-1 strain has been reported. In order to further characterize the Chinese isolate HLJ0955, the complete genome sequence of HLJ0955 was determined. RESULTS: The size of the genome of the Chinese isolate HLJ0955 is 34,132 nucleotides in length with a G+C content of 53.6%. The coding sequences for gene regions of HLJ0955 isolate were similar to the prototype of BAV-3 WBR-1 strain, with 80.0-98.6% nucleotide and 87.5-98.8% amino acid identities. The genome of HLJ0955 strain contains 16 regions and four deletions in inverted terminal repeats, E1B region and E4 region, respectively. The complete genome and DNA binding protein gene based phylogenetic analysis with other adenoviruses were performed and the results showed that HLJ0955 isolate belonged to BAV-3 and clustered within the Mastadenovirus genus of the family Adenoviridae. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to report the isolation and molecular characterization of BAV-3 from cattle in China. The phylogenetic analysis performed in this study supported the use of the DNA binding protein gene of adenovirus as an appropriate subgenomic target for the classification of different genuses of the family Adenoviridae on the molecular basis. Meanwhile, a large-scale pathogen and serological epidemiological investigations for BVA-3 infection might be carried out in cattle in China. This report will be a good beginning for further studies on BAV-3 in China.

Isolation and genetic characterization of bovine parainfluenza virus type 3 from cattle in China.

Bovine parainfluenza virus type 3 (BPIV3) is one of the most important of the known viral respiratory pathogens of both young and adult cattle. However BPIV3 has not been detected or isolated in China prior to this study. In 2008, four BPIV3 strains were isolated with MDBK cells from cattle in China and characterized by RT-PCR, nucleotide sequence analysis, transmission electron microscope observation, hemadsorption and hemagglutination tests. Nucleotide phylogenetic analysis of partial hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) gene for four isolates and the complete genome for the SD0835 isolate implicated that the four Chinese BPIV3 strains were distinct from the previously reported genotype A (BPIV3a) and genotype B (BPIV3b) and might be a potentially new genotype, which was tentatively classified as genotype C (BPIV3c). This is the first study to report the isolation and genetic characterization of BPIV3 from cattle in China.

Genotyping of bovine viral diarrhea viruses from cattle in China between 2005 and 2008.

Eighteen bovine viral diarrhea viruses (BVDV) from cattle in China between 2005 and 2008 were genetically typed by sequencing of the 5'-untranslated region (5'-UTR) of the viral genome and for selected isolates the N(pro) region. Phylogenetic reconstructions indicated that all of the 18 BVDV positive samples examined in this work clustered within the BVDV type 1 genotype. Of the 15 previously described subgenotypes of BVDV1 (1a-1o), 12 of the samples examined in this work clustered with the Chinese BVDV ZM-95 strain of pig origin, which was the prototype of BVDV1m, while 2 samples clustered with the BVDV1b. But 4 samples formed a separate group appearing to be a potentially new subgenotype, which was tentatively typed as "BVDV1p". Based on these results there appears to be highly genetic variation within the Chinese BVDV field isolates. As well, the phylogenetic reconstructions indicate that the clustering of the Chinese BVDV1m subgenotype in the phylogenetic tree is a result of geographic isolation. The information obtained from this work will be useful when carrying out epidemiological surveys of BVDV detected in China, especially for the BVDV1m detection in Chinese cattle.

[The difference in specific humoral immune responses induced with the attenuated equine infectious anemia vaccine strain and virulent strain.].

AIM: To disclose the potential roles of humoral immune response in the EIAV vaccine-induced protective immunity. In this study, major parameters of humoral immunity be compared between horses inoculated with the EIAV vaccine strain and the pathogenic virulent strain. METHODS: Experimental horses were randomly assigned into the group inoculated with the vaccine strain EIAV(DLV); (the vaccinated group) and the group inoculated with sub-morbigenous dose of virulent strain EIAV(Liao); (the inapparent infection group). Humoral immunity parameters, including binding endpoint titer and avidity index of antibodies to the envelop protein (Env) and the capsid protein (P26), and the conformation-dependent index of the Env antibody, were assayed and compared between these two groups by using ELISA. Neutralizing antibodies to the EIAV vaccine strain and a pathogenic strain were simultaneously detected by using plaque forming unite assay (PFU) and reverse transcriptase activity assay, respectively. RESULTS: In general, all humoral parameters increased with a time-dependent manner in both the vaccinated and the inapparent infection group. However, significantly higher antibody activities for P26 binding endpoint titer and Env avidity index were detected in the vaccinated group within 2 months post infection (P<0.05). Furthermore, the conformation-dependent index of the Env antibody in the vaccinated group was significantly higher than that in the inapparent infection group throughout the entire observation period (P<0.05). The most dramatic difference between these experimental groups was in the raise of the neutralizing antibody. The antibody neutralizing both the vaccine strain EIAV(DLV); and a virulent strain EIAV(DLV34); was detected significantly earlier and in higher titers in vaccinated horses than in virulent strain-infected horses (P<0.01 for EIAV(FDDV); and P<0.05 for EIAV(DLV34);). CONCLUSION: Statistically significant differences in EIAV-specific binding antibodies and the neutralizing antibody are detected between animals induced with the EIAV vaccine strain and the virulent strain. Importantly, the significantly early and strong responses in the neutralizing antibody and the conformation-dependent Env antibody induced by the vaccine implicate special roles these antibodies playing in EIAV vaccine-induced immune protection.

Construction of a recombinant BHV-1 expressing the VP1 gene of foot and mouth disease virus and its immunogenicity in a rabbit model.

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) are two important infectious diseases of cattle. Using bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BHV-1) as a gene delivery vector for development of live-viral vaccines has gained widespread interest. In this study, a recombinant BHV-1 was constructed by inserting the synthetic FMDV (O/China/99) VP1 gene in the the gE locus of BHV-1 genome under the control of immediately early gene promoter of human cytomegalovirus (phIE CMV) and bovine growth hormone polyadenylation (BGH polyA) signal. After homologous recombination and plaque purification, a recombinant virus named BHV-1/gE(-)/VP1 was acquired and identified. The immunogenicity was confirmed in a rabbit model by virus neutralization test and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The result indicated that the BHV-1/gE(-)/VP1 has the potential for being developed as a bivalent vaccine for FMD and IBR.