Sequence Analysis of HA Genes from Three H9N2 Subtype Avian Influenza Viruses

[ Objective] The study aimed to understand the genetic characters of H9N2 subtype avian influenza viruses isolated in Belling area. [ Method] HA genes of three H9N2 subtype avian influenza viruses A/Chicken/Beijing/xu/00, A/Chicken/Beijing/bei/00 and A/Chicken/Beijing/ liu/00 were amplified by RT-PCR and then sequenced. [ Result] The results of phylogenetic analysis showed that A/Chicken/Beijing/xu/00, A/ Chicken/Beijing/bei/00 and A/Chicken/Beijing/liu/00 shared the nucleotide homologies of 84.8% （ Dk/HK/Y439/97 ） -98.0% （ Ck/GX17/00 ）, 85.1% （Dk/HK/Y439/97） - 99.1% （ Ck/GXl 7/00）, 90.7% （ Ck/BJ/3/01 ） - 99.1% （Ck/GX17/00） with the isolates from Hongkong and other are- as of Chinese Mainland respectively. At the same time, the analysis of amino acid indicated that the three isolates belonged to low pathogenic H9N2 isolates of avian origin. The 226^th amino acid of them were L （ Leu）, suggesting their high binding affinity to human cells. There were seven glyco- sylation sites in HA protein, five from HA1 and two from HA2. [ Cenclusien] By analysis at molecular level, it could be concluded that A/Chicken/ Beijing/xu/00, A/Chicken/Beijing/bei/00 and A/Chicken/Beijing/liu/00 were low pathogenic H9N2 isolates of avian origin.

2011年中国北方H9N2亚型禽流感病毒分离株HA基因进化分析及受体结合性检测

为了解近期中国北方禽源H9N2亚型禽流感病毒(AIV)流行规律及分子遗传进化特征,本实验对2011年在中国北方家禽中分离到的11株H9N2亚型AIV通过RT-PCR扩增病毒的HA基因片段,进行测序及遗传进化分析,并对这些病毒的受体结合性进行了检测。结果表明:11株H9N2亚型AIV分离株的HA基因在HA1和HA2的氨基酸裂解位点均为PSRSSR/GLF基序,符合低致病性病毒株氨基酸序列特征。多数病毒HA潜在糖基化位点为8个,所有分离株病毒的受体结合位点226位均为L,经红细胞受体结合性试验验证表明这些病毒均同时具有α-2,3和α-2,6受体结合特性,表明目前北方地区流行的H9N2亚型AIV具有感染哺乳动物的潜在威胁。本研究结果对加强H9N2病毒的分子流行病学监测具有重要意义。

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.

Maternal-derived antibodies hinder the antibody response to H9N2 AIV inactivated vaccine in the field

The H9N2 subtype avian influenza virus(AIV)inactivated vaccine has been used extensively in poultry farms,but it often fails to stimulate a sufficiently high immune response in poultry in the field,although it works well in laboratory experiments;hence,the virus still causes economic damage every year and poses a potential threat to public health.Based on surveillance data collected in the field,we found that broilers with high levels of maternal-derived antibodies(MDAs)against H9N2 virus did not produce high levels of antibodies after vaccination with a commercial H9N2 inactivated vaccine.In contrast,specific pathogen-free(SPF)chickens without MDAs responded efficiently to that vaccination.When MDAs were mimicked by administering passively transferred antibodies(PTAs)into SPF chickens in the laboratory,similar results were observed:H9N2-specific PTAs inhibited humoral immunity against the H9N2 inactivated vaccine,suggesting that H9N2-specific MDAs might hinder the generation of antibodies when H9N2 inactivated vaccine was used.After challenge with homologous H9N2 virus,the virus was detected in oropharyngeal swabs of the vaccinated and unvaccinated chickens with PTAs but not in the vaccinated chickens without PTAs,indicating that H9N2-specific MDAs were indeed one of the reasons for H9N2 inactivated vaccine failure in the field.When different titers of PTAs were used to mimic MDAs in SPF chickens,high(HI=12 log2)and medium(HI=log 9 log2)titers of PTAs reduced the generation of H9N2-specific antibodies after the first vaccination,but a booster dose would induce a high and faster humoral immune response even of PTA interference.This study strongly suggested that high or medium titers of MDAs might explain H9N2 inactivated vaccine failure in the field.

Acute lung injury induced by H9N2 virus in mice

Background H9N2 avian influenza viruses （AIVs） have repeatedly caused infections in mammals even humans in many countries. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the acute lung injury （ALl） caused by H9N2 viral infection in mice. Methods Six- to eight- week-old female SPF C57BL/6 mice were infected intranasally with lx104 MIDso of A/HONG KONG/2108/2003 [H9N2 （HK）] virus. Clinical signs, pathological changes, virus titration in tissues of mice, arterial blood gas, and cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid （BALF） and serum were observed at different time points after AIV infection. Results H9N2-AIV-infected mice exhibited severe respiratory syndrome, with a mortality rate of 50%. Lung histopathological changes in infected mice included diffuse pneumonia, alveolar damage, inflammatory cellular infiltration, interstitial and alveolar edema, and hemorrhage. In addition, HgN2 viral infection resulted in severe progressive hypoxemia, lymphopenia, and a significant increase in interleukin 1, interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor, and interferon in BALF and serum. Conclusions The results suggest that H9N2 viral infection induces a typical ALl in mice that resembles the common features of ALl. Our data may facilitate the future studies of potential avian H9N2 disease in humans.

G1-like型禽H9N2亚型重组流感病毒的拯救及免疫原性评价

为拯救具有高复制特性的G1-like型禽流感病毒(avian influenza virus,AIV)疫苗候选株,利用反向遗传操作技术,将高复制特性H9N2亚型CZ株(Y280-Like)的6个内部基因(PB2、PB1、PA、M、NP、NS)与H9N2亚型40926株(G1-like)的HA和NA基因进行重配,构建G1-like型重组病毒。通过HA、HI试验及基因测序对拯救病毒进行鉴定,并对病毒在鸡胚上的复制能力、遗传稳定性及免疫原性进行评价。结果表明,利用6+2质粒系统成功拯救出G1-Like型H9N2亚型重组流感病毒,并具有良好的复制特性和遗传稳定性;将拯救的重组病毒株灭活后免疫SPF鸡,能刺激产生较高的HI抗体,为防控G1-like型AIV流行提供了技术和疫苗候选株储备。

H9N2亚型禽流感疫苗株的筛选及其免疫效果评价

通过交叉血凝试验,疫苗备用毒株免疫SPF鸡后再用同源和异源毒株攻毒,评价疫苗备用毒株对SPF鸡保护效果。结果显示,H9N2疫苗备用株免疫SPF鸡后,再用H9亚型流感病毒流行株攻毒,SPF鸡咽喉和泄殖腔排毒量大大降低。结果表明,本试验筛选的疫苗备用毒株对H9N2亚型流感病毒具有一定的保护率,完全符合疫苗株要求。