Identification of an epitope of SARS-coronavirus nucleocapsid protein

The nueleocapsid (N) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus (SARS-CoV) is a major virion structural protein. In this study, two epitopes (Nl and N2) of the N protein of SARS-CoV were predicted by bioinformatics analysis. After immunization with two peptides, the peptides-specific antibodies were isolated from the immunized rabbits. The further experiments demonstrated that N1 peptide-induced polyclonal antibodies had a high affinity to bind to E. coli expressed N protein of SAR,S-CoV. Furthermore, it was confirmed that Nl peptide-specific IgG antibodies were detectable in the sera of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) patients. The results indicated that an epitope of the N protein has been identified and N protein specific Abs were produced by peptide immunization, which will be useful for the study of SARS-CoV.

Modulation of human enteric epithelial barrier and ion transport function by Peyer's patch lymphocytes

AIM: To investigate the role of Peyer's patch lymphocytes in the regulation of enteric epithelial barrier and ion transport function in homeostasis and host defense. METHODS: Mouse Peyer's patch lymphocytes were co-cultured with human intestinal epithelial cell line Caco-2 either in the mixed or separated (isolated but permeable compartments) culture configuration. Barrier and transport functions of the Caco-2 epithelial monolayers were measured with short-circuit current (Isc) technique. Release of cytokines was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and cytokine mRNA expression was analyzed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Barrier and iontransport functions of both culture conditions following exposure to Shigella lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were also examined. RESULTS: The transepithelial resistance (TER) of the epithelial monolayers co-cultured with Peyer's patch lymphocytes was maintained whereas that of the Caco-2 monolayers alone significantly decreased after eight days in culture. The forskolin-induced anion secretion, in either absence or presence of LPS, was significantly suppressed in the both co-cultures as compared with the Caco-2 cells alone. Furthermore, only the mixed co-culture condition induced the expression and release of mIL-6 from Peyer's patch lymphocytes, which could be further enhanced by LPS. However, both co-culture conditions suppressed expression and release of epithelial hIL-8 under the unstimulated conditions, while the treatment with LPS stimulated their hIL-8 expression and release. CONCLUSION: Peyer's patch lymphocytes may modulate intestinal epithelial barrier and ion transport function in homeostasis and host defense via cell-cell contact and cytokine signaling.

HIGH DENSITY CULTIVATION OF A RECOMBINANT CD－1 CELL LINE PRODUCING PROUROKINASE USING A BIOSILON MICROCARRIER CULTURE SYSTEM

CD-1, a genetically-engineered CHO cell line, was cultivated with a Biosilon microcarrier culture system.We successfully cultivated CD-1 cells to a very high density (over1×107cells/ml). Prourokinase was stably secreted at about 180 IU/ 1e6 cells/24 h. Experiments showed that CD-1 cells growing on Biosilon microcarriers were able to spontaneously release from the microcarriers, then reatthch and proliferate on fresh microcarriers. This makes it very easy to scale up preduction. The microcarriers could be reused several times without affecting adhesion. proliferation and prourokinase secretion. With CMPECC membrane radial flow chromatography and MPG chromatography, the prourokinase in conditioned medium could be purified to a specific activity of 1×105 IU/mg of protein. The purification factor was about 600 fold, and approxiamately 90 % of the biological activity was recovered.

QUANTITATIVE STUDY ON THE EXPRESSION OF MMP1 AND TIMP1 IN NORMAL AND RADIATION-COMBINED WOUND HEALING AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE HEALING PROCESS

Aim: To study the expression of MMP1 and TIMP1 in normal and radiation-combined wound healing and their effects on the healing process. Materials and Methods: A rat model of radiation-combined wound healing was used, and routine light microscopy, electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and in situ hybridization were used to detect the expression of MMP1 and TIMP1 during the healing process. Results: The wound healing process was impaired and delayed. In rats receiving 25Gy Gamma ray locally, the irradiated wounds healed 6 days later than non-irradiated controls. The following changes were found in the expression of MMP1 and TIMP1: (1) In the early inflammatory phase and in the period of granulation tissue formation, MMP1 expression was only slightly if at all affected in the newly-formed epidermis of irradiated wounds when compared with that in controls. Later, the epidermal expression of MMP1 in irradiated wounds was comparatively increased following the delayed healing process. 3 to 14 days after wounding, TIMP1 was weakly positive in proliferating keratinocytes of control group and became negative after epidermal covering, whereas no or only slight epidermal expression was detected in the irradiated group before epidermal covering. (2) The expression of MMP1 and TIMP1 in irradiated group was markedly decreased in fibroblasts, endotheliocytes and macrophages when compared to that in controls. The expression phase was prolonged due to the delayed healing process. Conclusions: It is concluded that the reduced expression of MMP1 and TIMP1 in granulation tissue retards such important processes as cell migration and angiogenesis, thus slowing the healing process. The expression of MMP1 in the newly-formed epidermis may help the process of reepithelialization, but in the late healing period, overexpression of MMP1 and decreased expression of TIMP1 in the epidermis may hinder the establishment of basal membrane and scar formation.

Development of a New Sampling Medium for Bioaerosols

Objective To develop a new sampling medium for detecting of bioaerosols. Methods The sampling media were tested by using Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Serratia marcescens under static and active conditions, preliminary applications were performed using AGI-10 and high volume sampler. Results The average recovery rates were raised to 24.7%, 58.2%, 40.5%, 44.1%, 20.5%, and 15.4%, respectively in six consecutive experiments under static condition for 60 min at room temperature. Four kinds of sampling media were singled out after static experiments, which were referred to as “samplutions” PD1, PX2, TD1, and TX2, respectively. Under the active condition, the protective efficacy of PD1, PX2, TD1, and TX2 was 226% (153/47), 553% (111/17), 150% (120/48), and 268% (419/114), respectively. Conclusion The samplutions have some effects on the subsequent nucleic acid detection, which could be avoided by employing standard nucleic acid extraction procedure. The newly developed samplution can be applied to the detection of bioaerosols.

31nstitute of Materia Medica, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Taiyuan Road,Shanghai 200031, China.

Spike protein is one of the major structural proteins of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus. It is essential for the interaction of the virons with host cell receptors and subsequent fusion of the viral envelop with host cell membrane to allow infection. Some spike proteins of coronavirus, such as MHV, HCoV-OC43, AIBV and BcoV, are proteolytically cleaved into two subunits, S 1 and S2. In contrast, TGV, FIPV and HCoV-229E are not. Many studies have shown that the cleavage of spike protein seriously affects its function. In order to investigate the maturation and proteolytic processing of the S protein of SARS CoV, we generated S 1 and S2 subunit specific antibodies (Abs) as well as N, E and 3CL protein-specific Abs. Our results showed that the antibodies could efficiently and specifically bind to their corresponding proteins from E.coli expressed or lysate of SARS-CoV infected Vero-E6 cells by Western blot analysis. Furthermore, the anti-S 1 and S2 Abs were proved to be capable of binding to SARS CoV under electron microscope observation. When S2 Ab was used to perform immune precipitation with lysate of SARS-CoV infected cells, a cleaved S2 fragment was detected with S2-specific mAb by Western blot analysis. The data demonstrated that the cleavage of S protein was observed in the lysate, indicating that proteolytic processing of S protein is present in host cells.

Sequence evolution of putative cytotoxic T cell epitopes in NS3 region of hepatitis C virus

AIM:Quasispecies of hepatitis C virus (HCV) are the foundation for rapid sequence evolution of HCV to evade immune surveillance of hosts. The consensus sequence evolution of a segment of HCV NS3 region, which encompasses putative cytotoxic T cell epitopes,was evaluated.METHODS:Three male patients, infected with HCV through multiple transfusions,were identified from clinical symptoms and monitored by aminotransferase for 60 months.Blood samples taken at months 0, 32, and 60 were used for viral RNA extraction. A segment of HCV NS3 region was amplified from the RNA extraction by RT-PCR and subjected to subcloning and sequencing.HLA types of these three patients were determined using complement-dependent microlymphocytotoxic assay. CTL epitopes were predicted using MHC binding motifs.RESULTS:No patient had clinical symptoms or elevation of aspartate/alanine arninotransferase. Two patients showed positive HCV PCR results at all 3 time points. The other one showed a positive HCV PCR result only at month 0.A reported HLA-A2-restricted CTL epitope had no alteration in the HLA-A2-negative carrier over 60 months.In the HLA-A2-positive individuals, all the sequences from 0 month 0 showed an amber mutation on the initial codon of the epitope. Most changes of consensus sequences in the same patient occurred on predicted cytotoxic T cell epitopes.CONCLUSION:Amber mutation and changes of consensus sequence in HCV NS3 region may be related to viral immune escape.

Reovirus,isolated from SARS patients

Beijing has been severely affected by SARS, and SARS-associated coronavirus has been confirmed as its cause. However, clinical and experimental evidence implicates the possibility of co-infection. In this report, reovirus was isolated from throat swabs of SARS patients, including the first case in Beijing and her mother. Identification with the electron microscopy revealed the characteristic features of reovirus. 24 of 38 samples from other SARS cases were found to have serologic responses to the reovirus. Primers designed for reovirus have amplified several fragments of DNA, one of which was sequenced (S2 gene fragment), which indicates it as a unique reovirus (orthoreovirus). Preliminary animal experiment showed that inoculation of the reovirus in mice caused death with atypical pneumonia. Nevertheless, the association of reovirus with SARS outbreak requires to be further investigated.

A Genome Sequence of Novel SARS-CoV Isolates: the Genotype, GD-Ins29, Leads to a Hypothesis of Viral Transmission in South China

We report a complete genomic sequence of rare isolates (minor genotype) of the SARS-CoV from SARS patients in Guangdong, China, where the first few cases emerged. The most striking discovery from the isolate is an extra 29-nucleotide sequence located at the nucleotide positions between 27,863 and 27,864 (referred to the complete sequence of BJ01) within an overlapped region composed of BGI-PUP5 (BGI-postulated uncharacterized protein 5) and BGI-PUP6 upstream of the N (nucleocapsid) protein. The discovery of this minor genotype, GD-Ins29, suggests a significant genetic event and differentiates it from the previously reported genotype, the dominant form among all sequenced SARS-CoV isolates. A 17-nt segment of this extra sequence is identical to a segment of the same size in two human mRNA sequences that may interfere with viral genome replication and transcription in the cytosol of the infected cells. It provides a new avenue for the exploration of the virus-host interaction in viral evolution, host pathogenesis, and vaccine development.

STUDY ON AEROSOL TRANSMISSION ROUTES OF HEMORRHAGIC FEVER WITH RENAL SYNDROME (HFRS)

The present paper reviews our studies on transmission routes and prophylactic measures of Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS), including aerosol inhalation, skin injury/mucosa, insect vectors, peroral infection and vertical transmission. The results show that HFRS is transmitted by Hantaan virus via multi-routes. One of them, the aerosol transmission, is perhaps the main route transmitting HFRS from mouse to human beings. The injury and mu-cosa is the main transmission route from mouse to mouse and also an important agent from mouse to human beings. The peroral infection may occur in very serious pollution of foods. The insect vectors may play an important role in the focus of HFRS and in the transmission of HFRS from mouse to human. The epidemiological significance of vertical transmission is yet uncertain. According to the results, four proposals should be emphasized including killing insects and mice, long lasting and combined prophylactics, intensive studies on prophylactic measures on viral aerosols and the blocking of transmission of HFRS from mouse to human via aerosols.

Complete Genome Sequences of the SARS-CoV: the BJ Group (Isolates BJ01-BJ04)

Beijing has been one of the epicenters attacked most severely by the SARS-CoV (severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus) since the first patient was diagnosed in one of the city's hospitals. We now report complete genome sequences of the BJ Group, including four isolates (Isolates BJ01, BJ02, BJ03, and BJ04) of the SARS-CoV.It is remarkable that all members of the BJ Group share a common haplotype, consisting of seven loci that differentiate the group from other isolates published to date. Among 42 substitutions uniquely identified from the BJ group, 32 are non-synonymous changes at the amino acid level. Rooted phylogenetic trees, proposed on the basis of haplotypes and other sequence variations of SARS-CoV isolates from Canada, USA, Singapore, and China, gave rise to different paradigms but positioned the BJ Group, together with the newly discovered GD01 (GD-Ins29) in the same clade, followed by the H-U Group (from Hong Kong to USA) and the H-T Group (from Hong Kong to Toronto), leaving the SP Group (Singapore) more distant. This result appears to suggest a possible transmission path from Guangdong to Beijing/Hong Kong, then to other countries and regions.

Preparation, characterizationand preliminary in vivo stud-ies of inactivated SARS-CoV vaccine

A large quantity of SARS-CoV virus was pro-liferated in Vero cells, inactivated with b-propiolactone, then purified by Sepharose 4FF column chromatography to pre-pare inactivated vaccine. The vaccine was identified by Western blot, mass spectrographic analysis, ELISA and elec-tron microscopy. The vaccine with or without aluminum hydroxide adjuvant was inoculated into female BALB/c mice at different dosages. The result showed that the antibodies to SARS-CoV were induced in the mice. The antibody levels induced by the vaccine with aluminum hydroxide were higher than those without aluminum hydroxide.