Diversity of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus in Shandong, China.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is one of the most economically significant pathogens in swine industry of China. To study infection and genetic variation of PRRSV, 637 tissue samples were collected from diseased pigs in Shandong, and then subjected to detection of PRRSV. The nsp2 and ORF5 genes were sequenced for investigation of variations and phylogenetic analysis. The results showed that positive rate of PRRSV was 9.58% in the collected samples. Phylogenetic analysis of GP5 showed that these strains were clustered into two lineages (1 and 8) indicating different genotypes of PRRSV were circulating in Shandong province. Meanwhile, sequence analysis Of nsp2 showed that the PRRSV strains with 30 amino acids deletions were dominant. Moreover, novel pattern of recombination/deletion and insertion in nsp2 was observed in these strains, indicating that novel PRRSV strains with different patterns of deletions or insertions in nsp2 are emerging in China. All the results suggested that continuous surveillance of PRRSV in China is warranted. Keywords: PRRSV; GP5; nsp2; genetic analysis; Shandong.

A porcine alveolar macrophage cell line stably expressing CD163 demonstrates virus replication and cytokine secretion characteristics similar to primary alveolar macrophages following PRRSV infection.

The in vitro investigation of cytokine secretion induced by porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) requires porcine alveolar macrophages (PAMs) and their interaction with immunocytes. However, immortalized monoclonal PAMs (mPAMs) are non-permissive for PRRSV infection. The porcine CD163 receptor isolated from primary PAMs (pPAMs) confers susceptibility to PRRSV infection; thus, this approach could be used to establish a novel cell line to facilitate the exploration of PRRSV infection kinetics. Here, we amplified the coding region of the CD163 gene from pPAMs and integrated it into an mPAM line using a lentivirus expression system. After verification, the monoclonal PAM cell line stably expressing CD163 (mPAM-CD163-GFP) was infected with either the highly pathogenic PRRSV strain JXA1 or the classical PRRSV strain SD1, which produced high infectious titers of progeny virus reaching > 109 copies/mL or a 50 % tissue culture infective dose of 105.5 over at least 100 cell generations. We also investigated cytokine and Toll-like receptor expression in infected mPAM-CD163-GFP cells and pPAMs. The mPAM-CD163-GFP cell line showed similar patterns of viral replication and cytokine secretion compared with pPAMs, so it may be extremely useful for replacing primary cells for in vitro investigations of the mechanisms of cytokine secretion and interactions between PRRSV-infected PAMs and immunocytes.

Immunogenicity of two FMDV nonameric peptides encapsulated in liposomes in mice and the protective efficacy in guinea pigs.

It has been predicted that nonameric peptides I (VP1(26-34), RRQHTDVSF), II (VP1(157-165), RTLPTSFNY) and III (VP1(45-53), KEQVNVLDL) from the VP1 capsid protein of the foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) are T cell epitopes. To investigate whether these peptides have immunological activity, BALB/c mice were immunized with peptide I, II or III conjugated with immunostimulating complexes (ISCOMs). A cytotoxic T lymphocyte assay was used to evaluate the cytotoxic activity induced by peptides along with by measuring peptide-specific T-cell proliferation and CD8(+) T lymphocyte numbers in whole blood and interferon (IFN)-γ production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells induced by peptides. To further identify the protective efficacy of peptides, an FMDV challenge assay was done in guinea pigs. Peptides I and II stimulated significant increases in T-cell proliferation, CD8(+) T lymphocytes, and IFN-γ secretion and cytotoxic activity compared to controls. The FMDV challenge assay indicated peptides I and II can protect over 60% of animals from virus attack. The results demonstrate that peptides I and II encapsulated in liposomes should be CTL epitopes of FMDV and can protect animals from virus attack to some extent.

The influence of interpreters' professional background and experience on the interpretation of multimodality imaging of pulmonary lesions using 18F-3'-deoxy-fluorothymidine and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT.

OBJECTIVE: Based on the results of a recently accomplished multicenter clinical trial for the incremental value of a dual-tracer (18F-FDG and 18F-FLT), dual-modality (PET and CT) imaging in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary lesions, we investigate some issues that might affect the image interpretation and result reporting. METHODS: The images were read in two separate sessions. Firstly the images were read and reported by physician(s) of the imaging center on completion of each PET/CT scanning. By the end of MCCT, all images collected during the trial were re-read by a collective of readers in an isolated, blinded, and independent way. RESULTS: One hundred sixty two patients successfully passed the data verification and entered into the final analysis. The primary reporting result showed adding 18F-FDG image information did not change the clinical performance much in sensitivity, specifity and accuracy, but the ratio between SUVFLT and SUVFDG did help the differentiation efficacy among the three subgroups of patients. The collective reviewing result showed the diagnostic achievement varied with reading strategies. ANOVA indicated significant differences among (18)F-FDG, (18)F-FLT in SUV (F = 14.239, p = 0.004). CT had almost the same diagnostic performance as 18F-FLT. When the 18F-FDG, 18F-FLT and CT images read in pair, both diagnostic sensitivity and specificity improved. The best diagnostic figures were obtained in full-modality strategy, when dual-tracer PET worked in combination with CT. CONCLUSIONS: With certain experience and training both radiologists and nuclear physicians are qualified to read and to achieve the similar diagnostic accuracy in PET/CT study. Making full use of modality combination and selecting right criteria seems more practical than professional back ground and personal experience in the new hybrid imaging technology, at least when novel tracer or application is concerned.

Immune responses generated by Lactobacillus as a carrier in DNA immunization against foot-and-mouth disease virus.

To exploit Lactobacillus acidophilus as a carrier in DNA immunization against foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), a recombinant eukaryotic expression plasmid (pRc/CMV2-VP1-Rep. 8014) harboring pRc/CMV2 vector, the FMDV VP1 gene, and a replication origin from Lactobacillus plantarum ATCC 8014 strain was constructed. To detect the VP1 protein, pRc/CMV2-VP1-Rep. 8014 was expressed in PK 15 cells and transfected into a L. acidophilus SW1 strain (L. acidophilus SFMD-1). To evaluate the immunization effect of L. acidophilus SFMD-1, anti-FMDV VP1 antibody, T-cell proliferation, antigen-specific delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH), and tissue distribution were investigated using intramuscular, intraperitoneal, intranasal, and oral administration delivery routes. The results showed that L. acidophilus SFMD-1 was able to elicit a detectable antibody level on day 21. The VP1 antibody levels induced by L. acidophilus SFMD-1 and commercial inactivated FMDV vaccine rose rapidly to 0.84 and 0.70, respectively, by day 42, then sustained a high level by day 49. The route of administration had an impact on the magnitude of the systemic antigen-specific IgG responses, with intramuscularly applied L. acidophilus SFMD-1 generating the greatest FMDV VP1 antibody response, followed by intraperitoneal, intranasal, and oral administration delivery routes. Using the T-cell proliferation assay, the stimulation index of a group immunized with L. acidophilus SFMD-1 reached 2.78 versus 5.08 in a group immunized with pRc/CMV2-VP1-Rep. 8014 plasmid. Mice immunized with L. acidophilus SFMD-1 were able to induce T-cell-mediated antigen-specific DTH. In addition, the VP1 gene was detected in the muscle, kidney, spleen, and heart, but not in the liver. The results demonstrate clearly that Lactobacillus as a carrier is a promising approach of DNA vaccination, and is a potentially guard against FMDV.

Reconstruction of a swine SLA-I protein complex and determination of binding nonameric peptides derived from the foot-and-mouth disease virus.

No experimental system to date is available to identify viral T-cell epitopes in swine. In order to reconstruct the system for identification of short antigenic peptides, the swine SLA-2 gene was linked to the beta(2)m gene via (G4S)3, a linker encoding a 15-amino acid glycine-rich sequence (G4S)3, using splicing overlap extension-PCR (SOE-PCR). The maltose binding protein (MBP)-SLA-2-(G4S)3-beta(2)m fusion protein was expressed and purified in a pMAL-p2X/Escherichia coli TB1 system. The purified MBP-SLA-2-(G4S)3-beta(2)m protein was cleaved by factor Xa protease, and further purified by DEAE-Sepharose chromatography. The conformation of the SLA-2-(G4S)3-beta(2)m protein was determined by circular dichroism (CD) spectrum. In addition, the refolded SLA-2-(G4S)3-beta(2)m protein was used to bind three nonameric peptides derived from the foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) O subtype VP1. The SLA-2-(G4S)3-beta(2)m-associated peptides were detected by mass spectrometry. The molecular weights and amino acid sequences of the peptides were confirmed by primary and secondary spectra, respectively. The results indicate that the SLA-2-(G4S)3-beta(2)m was 41.6kDa, and its alpha-helix, beta-sheet, turn, and random coil by CD estimation were 78 aa, 149 aa, 67 aa, and 93 aa, respectively. SLA-2-(G4S)3-beta(2)m protein was able to bind the nonameric peptides derived from the FMDV VP1 region: 26-34 (RRQHTDVSF) and 157-165 (RTLPTSFNY). The experimental system demonstrated that the reconstructed SLA-2-(G4S)3-beta(2)m protein complex can be used to identify nonameric peptides, including T-cell epitopes in swine.