Antibodies elicited by Newcastle disease virus-vectored H7N9 avian influenza vaccine are functional in activating the complement system

H7N9 subtype avian influenza virus poses a great challenge for poultry industry.Newcastle disease virus(NDV)-vectored H7N9 avian influenza vaccines(NDV_(vec)H7N9)are effective in disease control because they are protective and allow mass administration.Of note,these vaccines elicit undetectable H7N9-specific hemagglutination-inhibition(HI)but high IgG antibodies in chickens.However,the molecular basis and protective mechanism underlying this particular antibody immunity remain unclear.Herein,immunization with an NDV_(vec)H7N9 induced low anti-H7N9 HI and virus neutralization titers but high levels of hemagglutinin(HA)-binding IgG antibodies in chickens.Three residues(S150,G151 and S152)in HA of H7N9 virus were identified as the dominant epitopes recognized by the NDV_(vec)H7N9 immune serum.Passively transferred NDV_(vec)H7N9 immune serum conferred complete protection against H7N9 virus infection in chickens.The NDV_(vec)H7N9 immune serum can mediate a potent lysis of HA-expressing and H7N9 virus-infected cells and significantly suppress H7N9 virus infectivity.These activities of the serum were significantly impaired after heat-inactivation or treatment with complement inhibitor,suggesting the engagement of the complement system.Moreover,mutations in the 150-SGS-152 sites in HA resulted in significant reductions in cell lysis and virus neutralization mediated by the NDV_(vec)H7N9 immune serum,indicating the requirement of antibody-antigen binding for complement activity.Therefore,antibodies induced by the NDV_(vec)H7N9 can activate antibody-dependent complement-mediated lysis of H7N9 virus-infected cells and complement-mediated neutralization of H7N9 virus.Our findings unveiled a novel role of the complement in protection conferred by the NDV_(vec)H7N9,highlighting a potential benefit of engaging the complement system in H7N9 vaccine design.

Prokaryotic Expression and Potential Application of the Truncated PCV-2 Capsid Protein

Three pairs of specific primers were designed to amplify the F2-1, F2-2 and XF2-2 truncated sequences of ORF2 which encodes the capsid protein of porcine circovirus type 2 （PCV-2）. The F2-1 sequence had most of the NLS region of ORF2, but the F2-2 and XF2-2 genes had the NLS region deleted. Truncated genes were subcloned into pET-32a（＋） vectors to construct recombinant fusion expression vectors. The vectors were then transformed into Rosetta（DE3） E. coli and expressed by induction of IPTG. Expressed proteins were detected by western blotting and ELISA. The protein with best immunoreactivity was confirmed and selected, then utilized to inoculate SPF rabbits to prepare polyclonal antibodies. The protein and prepared polyclonal antibody were utilized to detect sera samples against PCV-2 from Shandong province and PCV-2 particles in PK-15 cells. In our study, three recombinant fusion proteins were successfully obtained, and the molecular weights of fusion proteins were 35.9 kDa, 33.6 kDa and 38.6 kDa respectively detected by SDS-PAGE. All of the proteins showed positive reaction with anti-PCV-2 antisera, and His-XF2-2 showed better immunoreactivity than the others. The protein of His-XF2-2 was coated as antigen in ELISA to detect the seroprevalence of PCV-2 in certain districts of Shandong province, the seropositivity rate was 27.7 % （73/264）. Specific fluorescence and positive signals for PCV-2 could be detected in PK-15 cells inoculated with PCV-2 with the participation of prepared antibodies against His-XF2-2 in IFA and IPMA. Experimental results indicated that the truncated PCV-20RF2 gene containing most of the NLS region was successfully expressed in E. coli, and His-XF2-2 was demonstrated to have better immunoreactivity with anti-PCV-2 antisera than the other two fusion proteins. His-XF2-2 and prepared polyclonal antibodies against it had a satisfactory capability in detecting PCV-2 infection.

Identification and phylogenetic analysis of two canine coronavirus strains

Canine coronavirus(CCoV),a member of the genus Alphocoronavirus,is an enveloped,single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus that responsible for gastroenteritis in dogs.In this study,two CCoV isolates were successfully propagated from 53 CCoV-positive clinical specimens by serial passaging in A-72 cells.These two strains,CCoV JS1706 and CCoV JS1712,caused cytopathic effects in A-72 cells.The sizes of virus plaque formed by them differed in early passages.Electron microscopy revealed a large quantity of typical coronavirus particles with 80-120 nm in diameter in cell culture media and cytoplasm of infected cells,in which they appeared as inclusion bodies.RT-PCR analysis of 5 gene indicated that these two isolates were belonged to CCoV lla subtype.Homology of RdRp,S,M and N proteins between the two strains were 100,99.6,99.2 and 100.0%,respectively,whereas they were 99.4-100%,83.1-95.2%,88.5-99.2% and 91.9-99.7%identity compared to CCoV II reference strains.Phylogenetic analysis of RdRp,S,M and N protein showed that they were closely related to CCoV II strains.These two subtype lla isolates will be useful for evaluating the pathogenesis and evolution of CCoV and for developing diagnostic reagents and vaccines.

Phosphorylation of PB2 at serine 181 restricts viral replication and virulence of the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus in mice

Influenza A virus(IAV)continues to pose a pandemic threat to public health,resulting a high mortality rate annually and during pandemic years.Posttranslational modification of viral protein plays a substantial role in regulating IAV infection.Here,based on immunoprecipitation(IP)-based mass spectrometry(MS)and purified virus-coupled MS,a total of 89 phosphorylation sites distributed among 10 encoded viral proteins of IAV were identified,including 60 novel phosphorylation sites.Additionally,for the first time,we provide evidence that PB2 can also be acetylated at site K187.Notably,the PB2 S181 phosphorylation site was consistently identified in both IP-based MS and purified virus-based MS.Both S181 and K187 are exposed on the surface of the PB2 protein and are highly conserved in various IAV strains,suggesting their fundamental importance in the IAV life cycle.Bioinformatic analysis results demonstrated that S181E/A and K187Q/R mimic mutations do not significantly alter the PB2 protein structure.While continuous phosphorylation mimicked by the PB2 S181E mutation substantially decreases viral fitness in mice,PB2 K187Q mimetic acetylation slightly enhances viral virulence in mice.Mechanistically,PB2 S181E substantially impairs viral polymerase activity and viral replication,remarkably dampens protein stability and nuclear accumulation of PB2,and significantly weakens IAV-induced inflammatory responses.Therefore,our study further enriches the database of phosphorylation and acetylation sites of influenza viral proteins,laying a foundation for subsequent mechanistic studies.Meanwhile,the unraveled antiviral effect of PB2 S181E mimetic phosphorylation may provide a new target for the subsequent study of antiviral drugs.

Surveillance of ClassⅠNewcastle Disease Virus at Live Bird Markets and Commercial Poultry Farms in Eastern China Reveals the Epidemic Characteristics

Dear Editor,Newcastle disease(ND),caused by virulent Newcastle disease virus(NDV),is a highly contagious and economically devastating viral disease of birds(Habib et al.2018).NDV,also termed as avian paramyxovirus type 1(APMV-1),belongs to the genus Orthoavulavirus in the family Paramyxoviridae according to the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses(ICTV)(Amarasinghe et al.2019).According to the latest phylogenetic classification system.

Enhanced pathogenicity and transmissibility of H9N2 avian influenza virus in mammals by hemagglutinin mutations combined with PB2-627K

H9N2 avian influenza viruses(AIVs)circulate globally in poultry and have become the dominant AIV subtype in China in recent years.Previously,we demonstrated that the H9N2 virus(A/chicken/Eastern China/SDKD1/2015)naturally harbors a mammalian-adaptive molecular factor(627K)in the PB2 protein and is weakly pathogenic in mice.Here,we focused on new markers for virulence in mammals.A mouse-adapted H9N2 virus was serially passaged in mice by infecting their lungs.As expected,infected mice showed clinical symptoms and died at passage six.A comparison between the wild-type and mouse-adapted virus sequences identified amino acid substitutions in the hemagglutinin(HA)protein.H9N2 viruses with the T187P t M227L double mutation exhibited an increased affinity to human-type(SAα2,6Gal)receptors and significantly enhanced viral attachment to mouse lung tissues,which contributed to enhancing viral replication and virulence in mice.Additionally,HA with the T187P t M227L mutation enabled H9N2 viral transmission in guinea pigs via direct contact.AIV pathogenicity in mice is a polygenic trait.Our results demonstrated that these HA mutations might be combined with PB2-627K to significantly increase H9N2 virulence in mice,and this enhanced virulence was achieved in other H9N2 AIVs by generating the same combination of mutations.In summary,our study identified novel key elements in the HA protein that are required for H9N2 pathogenicity in mice and provided valuable insights into pandemic preparedness against emerging H_(9)N_(2)strains.

Endemicity of H9N2 and H5N1 avian influenza viruses in poultry in China poses a serious threat to poultry industry and public health

The H9N2 and H5N1 avian in fluenza viruses(AIVs) have been circulating in poultry in China and become endemic since 1998 and 2004, respectively.Currently, they are prevalent in poultry throughout China. This endemicity makes them actively involved in the emergence of the novel lineages of other subtypes of in fluenza viruses, such as the well-known viruses of the highly pathogenic avian in fluenza(HPAI) H5N2 and the2013 novel H7N7, H7N9 and H10N8 subtypes, thereby threatening both the poultry industry and public health.Here, we will review brie fly the prevalence and evolution,pathogenicity, transmission, and disease control of these two subtypes and also discuss the possibility of emergence of potentially virulent and highly transmissible AIVs to humans.