Dynamic Pathology and Antigen Location Study on Broiler Breeders with Coinfection of Marek's Disease Virus and Reticuloendotheliosis Virus

To further understand the generation and development of coinfection of Marek＇s disease virus （MDV） and reticuloendotheliosis virus （REV） in broiler breeders, and then find the method and optimal time of differential diagnosis for complex clinic multiple infection, the authors studied the pathohistological changes, apoptosis, immunohistochemistry （immunofluorescence）, and ultrastructure of tumor tissues of broiler breeders inoculated with MDV and REV. The study showed that proliferation of small lymphocytes was seen in the main organs at the age of 1 week, then immature lymphocytes, all kinds of lymphocytes, primitive reticulum cells, and Marek＇s disease cells （MDCs） were observed at 2-9 weeks. Apoptosis of lymphocytes could not be seen until the age of 10 weeks in the immune system. Immunohistochemistry detection showed that the positive signs of MDV and REV antigen were observed in the main organs at 2 weeks of age. Multi-morphology lymphocytes, MDV, and REV, mitotic figures and apoptosis of lymphocytes were observed with the help of transmission electron microscopy. MDV cooperating with REV promotes the course of disease of coinfection. Differential diagnosis can be done by immunohistochemistry in the early stage （before 2 weeks）, and histopathology in the late stage （post 4 weeks）. MDCs, primitive reticulum cells, immature lymphocytes, and two kinds of virions can serve as a basis for bistopathology differential diagnosis.

Preliminary Study on the Antigenic Relation of vIL-8 Encoded by Marek's Disease Virus and Chicken IL-8(cIL8)

Interleukin-8 homolog (vIL-8) is a chemokine encoded by the genome of Marek's disease virus. Chicken IL-8 (cIL8) is an important chemokine of chickens which plays a role in antiviral activity. To explore the relationship between vIL-8 and cIL8 can help to discern the function of vIL-8. In this study, the amino acid sequences of vIL-8 and cIL8 were aligned. The cIL8 gene was expressed in E. coli and the cIL8 fusion protein was obtained, after induction with IPTG. The protein was separated by SDS-PAGE and the band of interest was excised and minced for mouse immunization. An immunofluorescence test was used to detect vIL-8 expression in insect cells. The results showed that both vIL-8 and cIL8 were typical CXC chemokines in structure, and they had similar key amino acids, known to be important for receptor binding. The result of the immunofluorescence test showed that the mouse anti-cIL8 serum could react with vIL-8 expressed by insect cells. Therefore, vIL-8 shares common antigenic determinants with cIL8, and they may have a common receptor. This feature of vIL-8 suggests that it may participate in the immune evasion of the virus.

Molecular Comparisons of Marek's disease virus strains of different pathotypes for their gI,gE,pp38 and meq genes

Five to ten serotyqe I Marek’s disease virus (MDV1) strains of different pathotypes were compared for their DNA sequences of gI, gE, pp38 and meq genes. The reference strains were vMDV GA and JM, vvMDV RB1B and Md11(p16), vv+MDV strains 648A and 584A,vaccine strain CVI988/Rispens; Chinese strains were: v MDV strain N, vvMDV strain G2, vaccine strain 814. Only random aa changes were found in 12 positions within gE of 497 aa among 10 analyzed strains and in 10 positions within gI of 355 aa among 5 strains. There was no relationship found between virus pathotypes and aa changes of both glycoproteins. The aa changes happened in 14 positions within meq of 339 aa among 5 compared strains. But a proline deletion at aa #194 in a proline-rich domain of meq were shared by two vaccine strains CVI988/Rispens and 814, the latter was a non-pathogenic vaccine strain of serotype 1 isolated in 1983 in China. In another hand, vv+MDV strains 648A demonstrated 5 unique aa changes and 4 of them also located in the proline-rich region. The pp38 was very conservative among sequenced 10 strains, there were only two positions at #107 and #109 with aa altered in its 290 aa. All tested MDV1 strains had glutamine at #107, instead, only vaccine CVI988 had arginine at the position and lost its epitope reactive with Mab H19, to which all other tested MDV1 strains were positive. However, CVI988 and vMDV GA shared a Mab T65-recognized epitope when there was glycine at aa#109. It was glutamic acid at aa#109 in all other MDV1 strains which were not reactive with Mab T65. It seems like that there is some relationship between pathotypes and sequences of pp38 and meq, but more strains need to be compared.

整合REV-LTR基因的MDV活疫苗与亲本CVI988/Rispens株的免疫效力比较

利用同源重组技术将禽网状内皮组织增生症病毒(REV)的长末端重复序列(LTR)整合进CVI988/Rispens疫苗株基因组中所构建成的重组马立克氏病病毒株(r MDV-LTR株),具有较高的增殖效率。为比较r MDV-LTR株与亲本CVI988/Rispens株的免疫效力差异,开展了对这两种疫苗的比较试验。试验将这两种疫苗分别按照三个不同剂量经颈背部皮下接种1日龄SPF鸡。接种后第7 d,攻毒马立克氏病强毒株rMd5,连续观察60 d后进行剖检。临床病理观察结果发现,以不低于250 PFU/羽剂量的rMDV-LTR株或CVI988/Rispens株免疫SPF雏鸡都可以提供大于80%的免疫保护效率;以125 PFU/羽剂量的两种疫苗虽均不能提供大于80%的免疫保护效力,但rMDV-LTR株免疫组试验鸡未出现死亡,仅有2只鸡出现消瘦,剖解脏器无肿瘤,而CVI988/Rispens株免疫组鸡出现2只死亡,其中1只剖解后检出肿瘤。rMDV-LTR株和CVI988/Rispens株免疫组的免疫保护指数分别为77.78%和66.67%。由实验结果可见,在较小免疫剂量下,rMDV-LTR株免疫保护率高于亲本CVI988/Rispens疫苗株。说明重组毒rMDV-LTR疫苗株可以作为一种安全的、有效的新型MDV疫苗。

Comparison of Immune Effect of Four Commercial Marek's Disease Vaccines in Wenchang Chicken

Marek＇s disease（MD） is a lymphoproliferative disease of domestic chickens caused by a highly infectious,oncogenic alpha-herpesvirus known as Marek＇s disease virus（MDV）.The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of four commercial MDV vaccines in Wenchang chicken.The 1-day old Wenchang chickens tested were injected with one of four different vaccines or not unvaccinated as control;five days later,they were then challenged by virulent MDV strain MD5.The results showed that,in comparison with HVT vaccines,the CVI988 vaccine gave the immunized chickens more potent immunities against challenges of MDV strain MD5.

两株马立克病毒的分离鉴定及其主要致病基因分析

为了解国内鸡群马立克病毒(MDV)流行毒株的分子特征,采用细胞培养法对马立克病疑似病鸡抗凝血进行MDV分离,间接荧光法鉴定MDV血清型,PCR扩增分离病毒的meq和pp38两个主要致病基因,所得序列与MDV参考毒株的序列进行比对分析。结果显示,共分离鉴定出2株MDV I型毒株,分别命名为JS0316和JS0424。meq基因编码的氨基酸序列结果显示,2个MDV分离株缺乏弱毒疫苗株的特征(A71S、P194-),具有MDV强毒分离株的分子特征(D80Y、V115A、T139A、P176R和P217A)。同时,JS0316 Meq蛋白出现Q93R和V123A突变,pp38蛋白出现L98I和F240S突变,而JS0424 Meq蛋白出现P217T突变,pp38蛋白出现W67G和V210A突变。因此,2株MDV均具有国内流行强毒株的分子特征,同时存在新的基因突变。

Expression and intercellular trafficking of the VP22 protein of CVI988/Rispens vaccine strain of Marek’s disease virus

The viral protein 22 (VP22) in the tegument of Marek’s disease virus serotype 1 (MDV-1) plays an im-portant role in cell-to-cell spread and viral propagation. Antiserum against the carboxyl terminus of VP22 was prepared by immunizing mice with recombinant VP22 expressed in E. coli, and used to in-vestigate its expression in chicken embryo fibroblast (CEF) cells infected with different MDV-1 strains. At an infection dose of PFU=50, intercellular trafficking of the VP22 into the nuclei of the surrounding receipt cells was detected as early as 3 hours post infection. By 6 hours after infection (before viral plague formation), the protein was detected in the whole nuclei of the recipient cells with no difference among MDV-1 strains CVI988/Rispens, GA and RB1B. Intra-nuclear accumulation of the VP22 protein was further increased when the viral plagues started to form. These results indicate that, albeit the ex-istence of the 201TKSERT206 deletion, the VP22 of the CVI988/Rispens vaccine strain has also intercel-lular-trafficking function, which might serve as a potential alternative delivering protein instead of virulent strains VP22.

MDV-1 VP22 conjugated VP2 enhancing immune response against infectious bursal disease virus by DNA vaccination in mice

VP22 of Marek’s disease virus serotype 1 (MDV-1) could function in protein transduction. In this study, an infectious bursal disease virus VP2 gene was fused to the carboxyl termini of VP22. It showed that the fusion protein did not spread into the bystander cells from the cells transfected with pVP22-VP2, as the VP22 alone could. The VP22 proteins were found to be translocated into all the nuclei in the neighboring COS-1 cells, as analyzed by a fluorescence assay. Although mice were immunized with the recombinant DNAs mixed with polyethylenimine (PEI) at a dose of 1:2, it failed to enhance the antibody response against IBDV VP2, as measured by the indirect ELISA assay, yet the cell mediated immune response was significantly increased. The ratio of CD8+/CD4+ T cells was significantly increased in the immunized group with the fusion genes, compared with the group immunized with VP2 (P<0.05). Our results demonstrated that VP22 indeed enhances the cell-mediated response in the fused VP2 in a mice model system, possibly due to the fact that the IBDV VP2 could be carried into the surrounding cells at a limited level under pressure from MDV VP22.

Isolation of recombinant field strains of Marek's disease virus integrated with reticuloendotheliosis virus genome fragments

Two Marek's disease virus (MDV) field strains were isolated from chickens with tumors independently from Guangdong and Guangxi provinces, and it was confirmed that there were no co-infections with reticuloendotheliosis viruses (REV) in chicken embryo fibroblast cells (CEF) in indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFA) with REV-specific monoclonal antibodies. By dot blot hybridization and PCR of genomic DNA of MDV-infected CEF, it was indicated that LTR fragments of REV genome were integrated into genome of these two MDV field strains. To amplify and clone the integrated REV LTR with MDV sequence at the junction, 4 primers from REV LTR and 7 primers from MDV genome fragment with REV LTR insertion hot points were synthesized and 28 (4x7) pairs of primers (one from REV and another from MDV for each pair) were used in PCR while using the genomic DNA of both strains as the templates. The sequence data demonstrated that both recombinant field strains contained the same REV LTR inserted into MDV at the identical sites in US fragment of the genomes. From the above, it was speculated that both recombinant field MDVs were originated from a same recombinant virus and spread among chicken flocks in two provinces.

The enhancement effect of pp38 gene product on the activity of its upstream bi-directional promoter in Marek's disease virus

There was a bi-directional promoter between gene 38 kd phosphorylated protein (pp38) gene; 1.8-kb mRNA transcript gene family in the genome of Marek's disease virus (MDV). In this study, enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) reporter plamids, pP(pp38)-EGFP; pP(1.8-kb)-EGFP, were constructed under this bi-directional promoter in two directions. The two plasmids were transfected into uninfected chicken embryo fibroblast (CEF), MDV clone rMd5 infected CEF (rMd5-CEF); pp38-deleted derivative rMd5Δpp38 infected CEF (rMd5Δpp38-CEF) respectively. Transfection analysis showed that EGFP was only expressed in rMd5-CEF,; no EGFP could be detected in uninfected CEF or rMd5Δpp38-CEF, implying that pp38 was a factor influencing the activity of the promoter. The pp38-expressing recombinant plasmid pcDNA-pp38 was constructed to co-transfect CEF or rMd5Δpp38-CEF with pP(pp38)-EGFP or pP(1.8-kb)-EGFP. In this case, EGFP could be detected only in rMd5Δpp38-CEF but still not in uninfected CEF, implying that pp38 needs other protein(s) to work together for the complete trans-acting activity. Another MDV gene, 24 kd phosphorylated protein pp24 gene was cloned into pcDNA3.1 as a pp24-expressing recombinant plasmid pcDNA-pp24. When uninfected CEF was co-transfected with pcDNA-pp38, pcDNA-pp24; EGFP expressing plasmids pP(pp38)-EGFP or pP(1.8-kb)-EGFP, the EGFP could be detected. These results indicated that pp38; pp24 could enhance the activity of the promoter when they worked together. DNA mobility shift assay showed that pp38 would bind to the bi-directional promoter with the co-existing of pp24, although neither of them alone influenced mobility of the promoter DNA. All the above suggested that MDV pp38 could transactivate the bi-directional promoter when combined with pp24. The results also indicated that the activity of the promoter in the direction of 1.8-kb mRNA was significantly stronger than that of pp38 direction.

Study on the structure of heteropolymer pp38/pp24 and its enhancement on the bi-directional promoter upstream of pp38 gene in Marek’s disease virus

In the latest report, Chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene was used as a reporter to investi-gate the influence of pp38 on its upstream bi-directional promoter, and it was found that the co-expression of pp38 and pp24 can significantly enhance the transactivity of the bi-directional pro-moter between pp38 gene and 1.8-kb mRNA transcript in genome of Marek’s disease virus (MDV). In this study, enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) gene was used as another reporter to further investigate the promoter activity. The transfection shows the promoter has the complete activity under the condition of co-expression of pp38 and pp24 in the same cells. Immunoprecipitation test was used to verify the structure of pp38/pp24 heteropolymer. The pp38-specific monoclonal antibody H19 was used in this test, and pp38, pp24 or both were prepared from the pcDNA-pp38, pcDNA-pp24 or pBud-pp38-pp24 transfected chicken embryonic fibroblast (CEF), respectively. Immunoprecipitation indicates that pp24 could be co-precipitated with pp38 by MabH19, implying that pp24 and pp38 were able to form a heteropolymer in the natural condition. The two separated tests clarify that pp38 and pp24 form a heteropolymer, which enhances the activity of the promoter.

Analyzing the H19-and T65-epitopes in 38 kd phosphory-lated protein of Marek's disease viruses and comparing chicken immunological reactions to viruses point-mutated in the epitopes

DNA sequencing analysis in 38 kd phosphorylated protein (pp38) ORF of Marek's disease viruses (MDV) indicated that all tested 10 virulent strains with different pathotypes had 'A' at base #320 and glutamine at aa#107 while reacted with monoclonal antibody (Mab) H19 in indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFA). However, vaccine strain CVI988 had 'G' at base#320 and arginine at aa#107 instead, when it was negative in IFA with Mab H19. Some strains were also reactive with Mab T65 in IFA while there was 'G' at base #326 and glycine at aa#109, but the other strains, which had 'A' at base #326 and glutamic acid at aa#109, did not react with Mab T65. By comparison of CVI988 to its point mutants CVI/rpp38(AG) and CVI/rpp38(AA) with 1 or 2 base(s) changes at bases #320 and /or #326 of pp38 gene for their reactivity with Mab H19 and T65, it was confirmed that the glutamine at aa#107 and glycine at aa#109 were critical to epitopes H19 and T65 respectively. Immuno-reactions to MDV were compared in SPF chickens inoculated with cloned CVI988 and its mutant CVI/rpp38(AG). It was found that antibody responses to MDV in chickens inoculated with CVI/rpp38(AG) were delayed and significantly lower than that in chickens inoculated with the native CVI988. By differential comparison of antibody titers to different antigens, a third epitope specific to CVI988 and dependent on arginine at aa#107 was suggested to be responsible for the big difference in antibody responses induced by native CVI988 and its mutant.

传染性法氏囊病病料中MDV、CAV、REV的共感染检测

从江苏、山东、浙江、河南、上海、广西、云南等地收集根据临床表现及病理变化诊断为传染性法氏囊病( IBD)的病鸡法氏囊样品 66份 ,用相应的核酸探针及斑点杂交法分别检测样品中鸡传染性贫血病病毒( CAV)、马立克氏病病毒 ( MDV)、网状内皮细胞增生病病毒 ( REV)的感染 ;用抗 IBD血清做琼扩检测 IB-DV。结果显示 ,部分地区病料中这些病毒有不同程度的二重感染、三重感染甚至四重感染。提示在研究特定毒株 IBDV的毒力时 ,应考虑多重感染对致病性的影响。

我国部分地区蛋鸡群ALV-J及与REV、MDV、CAV混合感染检测

为了解J亚群禽白血病病毒(ALV-J)及其与禽网状内皮细胞增生症病毒(REV)、马立克氏病病毒(MDV)和鸡传染性贫血病病毒(CAV)的混合感染现象,本研究从宁夏、湖北、广东、山东、辽宁、吉林、黑龙江7个省的39个蛋鸡群收集临床表现和剖检病理变化疑似禽白血病的病料样品184份,采用PCR、病毒分离和IFA检测样品中ALV-J、REV、MDV和CAV。结果表明,7个省蛋鸡场均存在ALV-J感染,病料样品阳性率为60.9%,检测鸡群阳性率为82.1%,与REV、MDV、CAV的混合感染率分别为13.6%、24.5%、22.8%,其中存在较为严重的双重感染(29.0%)和3重感染(18.8%),甚至4重感染(1.7%)。研究结果表明,我国蛋鸡群中普遍存在ALV-J感染,而且与REV、MDV、CAV混合感染严重;提示ALV-J已经可以引起蛋鸡群发病,在临床诊断和致病性研究中,应考虑到多重感染的影响。

用斑点杂交法同时检测鸡群中的CAV MDV和REV

为研究鸡传染性贫血病毒(CAV)在鸡群中的感染状况以及马立克氏病病毒(MDV)和网状内皮细胞增生病病毒(REV)在鸡群中的发病率,用斑点杂交法对山东省4个肉鸡场和2个肉种鸡场进行CAV、MDV和REV的检测,结果表明除一个肉种鸡场没有检测出REV以外,其他鸡场均同时检测出CAV、MDV和REV,并且发现直接从病料中检测CAV的阳性率(20％)远远低于将病料接种SPF鸡胚后的检出率(80％)。

我国自然发病鸡群中MDV、REV和CAV共感染的检测

从山东、河南、河北、北京、江苏、广东、广西、四川、吉林、辽宁、台湾11 省42 个不同鸡群收集临床有发病表现的828只病、死鸡的病理组织样品,用点杂交方法检测各个样品中马立克氏病病(Marek′s disease virus,MDV)、网状内皮细胞增生病病毒(Reticuloendotheliosis virus,REV) 、鸡传染性贫血病病毒(Chicken anemia virus,CAV)的感染情况。结果表明:828 只病鸡中这三种病毒的检出率均相当高,分别为83. 94% (MDV)、61. 0% (CAV)和57.25%(REV),并且存在非常严重的双重感染(31. 16%)和三重感染(44. 69%),单重感染和阴性个体仅占15.34%和8.82%;在42个鸡群中的29个存在三重感染,占鸡群总数的69.05%,5个鸡群存在MDV和CAV的共感染,3个鸡群存在MDV和REV的共感染,二重感染占鸡群总数的19.05%,仅有2个鸡群未检测到这三种病毒;在地域分布上,11个省份均检测到了MDV、CAV和REV,表明了这三种病毒在我国的广泛分布及其在生产鸡群中的混合感染是导致当前我国养禽业生产性能下降、条件致病性疾病发生严重、临床腺胃肿大症状发生的重要原因。

马立克病病毒meq基因缺失毒株HN302Δmeq的构建及致病性分析

马立克病(MD)是由马立克病病毒(MDV)感染引起的一种重要的家禽免疫抑制病与肿瘤病,严重危害世界养禽业。随着MDV持续进化及毒力增强,急需研发新型高效的MD疫苗以加强该病的有效防控。本研究利用CRISPR/Cas9基因编辑技术,以MDV变异株HN302为亲本毒株,成功构建了meq基因缺失的毒株HN302Δmeq,经过PCR扩增鉴定及测序分析,证实meq基因缺失且传代稳定。间接免疫荧光试验(IFA)和实时荧光定量PCR(RT-qPCR)分析均证实HN302Δmeq感染鸡胚成纤维细胞(CEF)中无meq基因表达,并且meq基因的缺失不影响其他病毒基因的表达。利用RT-qPCR分析HN302Δmeq在CEF中的体外增殖曲线,结果显示meq基因的缺失不影响MDV体外复制。1日龄SPF鸡攻毒试验结果显示,与亲本毒株HN302相比,HN302Δmeq对宿主无致病性,其诱导的MD发病率、死亡率和肿瘤发生率均为0,且未观察到明显的免疫器官萎缩。上述数据表明,HN302Δmeq的毒力明显丧失,具备继续作为疫苗候选株开展相关研究的可能性。本研究成功构建了MDV变异株HN302的meq基因缺失毒株,为后续MDV的致病机制及新型疫苗研究奠定了基础。

肉种鸡MDV和REV人工共感染的动态病理学与抗原定位研究

【目的】深入了解MDV与REV人工共感染肉种鸡后疾病的发生、发展状况,为二者临床复杂的混合感染提供确实的鉴别诊断方法和明确的诊断时间。【方法】MDV和REV强毒株人工共感染1日龄肉种鸡,定期剖检,进行病理组织学、细胞凋亡、免疫组化和肿瘤组织的超微结构观察。【结果】肝、胰腺、腺胃、盲肠扁桃体、心肌在感染后1周出现以小淋巴细胞浸润为主的炎症,2～9周时,大部分实质器官出现以幼稚淋巴细胞、大中小淋巴细胞为主的渐进性增生灶,部分增生灶中可见原始网状细胞和马立克氏病细胞;10周后免疫器官实质细胞出现明显的凋亡;免疫组化显示,肝、脾、法氏囊、胸腺等在2周时呈双抗原阳性;电镜下,肝脏肿瘤组织中可见多形态淋巴细胞,核分裂相和细胞凋亡同时存在,同一细胞中可见MDV和REV两种病毒粒子。【结论】MDV与REV共感染对病程起协同和促进作用,发病早,病变明显;免疫酶及荧光方法可用于共感染的早期诊断(2周以前);而后期(4周以后)可通过病理组织学进行鉴别诊断,两种病毒粒子、马立克氏病细胞、原始网状细胞、多形态和幼稚淋巴细胞可作为诊断依据。

MDV-1 VP22羧基端在大肠杆菌中高效可溶性表达

VP22是血清I型马立克氏病病毒(MDV-1)的复制和传播必不可少的组分。本研究从MDV-1无致病性的CVI988/Rispens疫苗感染的鸡胚成纤维细胞DNA中扩增得到VP22基因,并在大肠杆菌中表达其C端功能区。SDS-PAGE电泳发现,VP22C端得到高效可溶性表达,大小为42kDa左右。将获得的阳性条带经切胶免疫和细菌超声波裂解的上清作为抗原免疫6周龄Balb/C小鼠,均能诱导产生特异性抗VP22C端抗体。通过免疫荧光试验,检测到VP22在感染MDVCEF所有细胞核中呈特异性表达。这一抗体对深入研究VP22蛋白转导功能起到重要的作用。

抗MDV-1 VP22羧基端单克隆抗体的制备与免疫学特性鉴定

目的:制备抗血清I型马立克氏病病毒(MDV-1)VP22的单克隆抗体(mAb),并鉴定其免疫学特性。方法:在原核系统中表达VP22羧基端区域(94-243aa),获得融合表达产物GST-VP22C。将该表达产物切胶免疫小鼠,利用杂交瘤技术制备抗MDV-1 VP22C的mAb,并通过ELISA、间接免疫荧光(IFA)、Western blot鉴定其特性。结果:获得了2株可稳定分泌抗MDV-1 VP22C的mAb的杂交瘤细胞,命名为3F7、4E4。IFA鉴定表明,两株mAb均能与感染MDV-1的成纤维细胞反应,其中,3F7 mAb染色呈现MDV空斑,而4E4mAb呈现整个单层的细胞核荧光。ELISA和Western blot分析表明,3F7能与杆状病毒表达的VP22反应,4E4不具备该特性。对3F7 mAb进一步鉴定,确定了该mAb针对的具体位置在94-193aa处,是蛋白转导域的预测位置。结论:成功地制备了抗MDV-1 VP22C的mAb,为深入研究VP22蛋白的转导功能提供了有用的试剂。