Pathogenic Antigenic and Molecular Characterization of the Very Virulent Strain(Gx) of Infectious Bursal Disease Virus Isolated in China

The very virulent infectious bursal disease virus (vvIBDV) strain Gx was isolated from a poutl-try farm in Guangxi Province, China, during 1996. The mortality in the infected flock was 80% and occurred 5 days after immunization with serotype I IBD vaccine. The results of antigen-capture ELISA (AC-ELISA), pathogenicity testing, cloning and sequence analysis of the VP2 gene showed that the deduced amino acid sequence of strain Gx VP2 was the same as vvIBDV UK661, which is considered as a reference strain for European vvIBDVs. The antigenicity of the Gx strain was the same as an European vvIBDV strain 849. The EID50 of Gx virus was 10-8.25/0. 2 ml, and the mortality was 64% when 4 week-old SPF chickens were challenged at dosage of 2×10~3EID50. We have demonstrated that the IBDV strain Gx isolated in China is vvIBDV according to European standards.

Characterisation and separation of infectious bursal disease virus-like particles using aqueous two-phase systems

Infectious bursal disease(IBD)causes considerable economic losses in the commercial poultry industry worldwide.The principal way to control IBD virus(IBDV),the causative agent of IBD,is still through vaccination programs.Virus-like particles(VLPs)are recognised as a safe and potent recombinant vaccine platform.This research work explores the characterisation and separation of infectious bursal disease virus-like particles(IBD-VLPs)from crude feedstock.Various characteristics were studied with highperformance size-exclusion chromatography(HP-SEC),sodium dodecyl sulphate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis(SDS-PAGE)and transmission electron microscopy(TEM)analyses.Subsequently,the separation of IBD-VLPs using polyethylene glycol(PEG)/sodium citrate-based aqueous two-phase systems(ATPSs)was conducted and optimised.Moreover,a scale-up study of the best ATPS constituted of 15%PEG 6000,11%sodium citrate and 10%crude feedstock was performed to compare the separation performance of IBD-VLPs with and without centrifugation-assisted.The results indicated that the optimised ATPS with centrifugation-assisted for both 5 g and 50 g systems showed good recovery of IBDVLPs of>97%in the interphase between the PEG-rich top and salt-rich bottom phases.These optimised systems also showed high removal efficiencies of impurities of>95%.The results demonstrated that aqueous two-phase extraction could be a promising technology for efficient VLPs separation.

Effect of Astragalus polysaccharides on Erythrocyte Immune Adherence of Chickens Inoculated with Infectious Bursal Disease Virus

Two hundred and forty specific pathogen free leghorn chickens were randomly divided into four groups and reared in isolated pens. The tested chickens were negative to infectious bursal disease virus （IBDV） at 25 d old. Group 1 was treated with saline, whereas Groups 2, 3, and 4 were inoculated with 0.3 mL IBDV suspension intranasally the next day. Groups 3 and 4 were also administered with Astragalus polysaccharides （APS） intramuscularly twice daily at 5 or 10 mg kg-1 BW, respectively, until 31 d old. The erythrocyte-C3b receptor rosette rate （E-C3bRR） and the erythrocyte-C3b immune complex rosette rate （E-ICRR） were measured at 25, 29, 32, 35, and 38 d old. The results showed that IBDV significantly reduced E-C3bRR and E-ICRR when compared with the control group （P 〈 0.05）, while simultaneous administration of APS with 1BDV maintained E-C3bRR at similar levels to the control group （P 〉 0.05） and increased E-ICRR when compared with the control group and the group non-treated with APS （P 〈 0.05）. APS treatment reduced the morbidity and mortality of chickens inoculated with IBDV （P 〈 0.05）. The results suggest that APS may enhance the immune adherence of chickens erythrocytes by affecting the activity and/or the number of complement receptors on the erythrocyte membrane. These findings can be beneficial in providing an understanding of the basic mechanisms required for the rational application of APS in modern medicine.

An improved scheme for infectious bursal disease virus genotype classification based on both genome-segments A and B

Infectious bursal disease(IBD)is caused by infectious bursal disease virus(IBDV),which has a genome consisting of two segments of double-stranded linear RNA.IBDVs have been traditionally divided into four phenotypes based on their pathogenicity and antigenicity,including classic,variant,very virulent,and attenuated IBDV.With the emergences of divergent molecular characteristics of novel strains produced by continuous mutations and recombination,it is increasingly difficult to define new IBDV strains using the traditional descriptive classification method.The most common classification scheme for IBDV with segmented genome is based solely on segment A,while the significance of segment B has been largely neglected.In this study,an improved scheme for IBDV genotype classification based on the molecular characteristics of both VP2(a viral capsid protein encoded by segment A)and VP1(an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase protein encoded by segment B)was proposed for the first time.In this scheme,IBDV was classified into nine genogroups of A and five genogroups of B,respectively;the genogroup A2 was further divided into four lineages.The commonly used phenotypic classifications of classic,variant,very virulent,and attenuated IBDVs correspond to the A1 B1,A2 B1,A3 B2,and A8 B1 genotypes of the proposed classification scheme.The novel variant IBDVs including the strains identified in this study were classified as belonging to genotype A2 d B1.The flexibility and versatility of this improved classification scheme will allow the unambiguous identification of existing and emerging IBDV strains,which will greatly facilitate molecular epidemiology studies of IBDV.

Immunogenicity of formaldehyde and binary ethylenimine inactivated infectious bursal disease virus in broiler chicks

Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) was inactivated by two different chemicals—formaldehyde and binary ethylenimine (BEI). Formaldehyde was used at 0.1% and 0.2%, while BEI was used at concentrations of 0.001 and 0.002 mol/L. These four vaccines were tested for their efficiency in generating humoral immune response in different groups of broiler chicks. Both BEI-inactivated vaccines gave relatively higher antibody titers and were almost twice as efficient as formaldehyde-inactivated ones.

Molecular Differentiation of Different Pathogenic Phenotypes of Infectious Bursal Disease Viruses by RT-PCR Combined with Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism(RFLP) Assay

Accurate differentiation of the pathogenic phenotypes of infectious bursal disease viruses(IBDVs) will instruct effective vaccination programs and improve the study of the molecular epidemiology of IBDVs. In this study, an 833 bp hypervariable nucleotide region was identified in VP2 genes of known IBDVs with different virulences through multiple sequence alignment.Moreover, using NEBcutter software analysis, two restriction enzyme sites, SpeⅠ(generating 531 and 302 bp fragments) and StuⅠ(generating 242 and 591 bp fragments) were found presented in very virulent but not attenuated IBDVs. Moreover, the restriction enzyme site SacⅠ(generating 218 and 615 bp fragments) presented in attenuated IBDVs but not very virulent IBDVs. Therefore,a reverse-transcription(RT)-PCR combined with a restriction fragment length polymorphism(RFLP) assay was developed to differentiate attenuated and very virulent IBDVs. The RT-PCR assay was used to confirm 282 IBDV positive samples from 310 suspicious dead chicken samples. The 60 IBDV positive samples were used to evaluate the assay, followed by confirmation via gene sequencing and histopathological examinations of the bursas of Fabricius from chickens infected by these IBDVs. The results showed that 24 viral strains with SpeⅠand StuⅠsites were very virulent, causing severe pathological damage in the bursas of Fabricius, while36 viral strains with the SacⅠsite were attenuated IBDVs, exhibiting only slight pathological damage. The combined RT-PCR and RFLP assay provided a useful approach for differentiating the pathogenic phenotypes of IBDVs.

Inactivation of infectious bursal disease virus by binary ethylenimine and formalin

In this experiment conducted to study the inactivation dynamics of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) by binary ethylenimine (BEI) in comparison with formalin, IBDV was isolated from the bursa of infected chickens and its confirmation was done by agar gel precipitation test. Viral suspensions were subjected to inactivation with BEI and formalin for pre-set time in-tervals. BEI was employed at concentrations of 0.001 and 0.002 mol/L while formalin was used at 0.1% and 0.2%. Sampling was done at 6, 12, 24, 36 and 48 h of incubation and samples were tested for their inactivation status in 9-day-old embryonated eggs and 3-week-old broiler chickens. IBDV was completely inactivated by 0.001 and 0.002 mol/L BEI after 36 h of incubation at 37 °C, whereas formalin at 0.1% and 0.2% concentrations inactivated IBDV in 24 h.

The circulation of unique reassortment strains of infectious bursal disease virus in Pakistan

Infectious bursal disease(IBD),caused by IBD virus(IBDV),is one of the most devastating and immunosuppressive diseases of the poultry and has been a constraint on the sustainable poultry production around the globe including Pakistan.While the disease is threatening the poulty industry,the nature of predominant strains of IBDV in Pakistan remained l-defined.In this study,an epidemiology survey was conducted in the main chicken-farming regions of Pakistan.The batch of Pakistan IBDVs genes simultaneously covering both VP1 and VP2 were amplified,sequenced,and analyzed.The unique segment-reassortant IBDVs(vv-A/Uniq-B),carrying segmentA from vvIBDV and segment B from one unique ancestor,were identifed as one important type of circulating strains in Pakistan.The data also discovered the characteristic molecular features of Pakistan IBDVs,which will contribute to scientific vaccine selection and effective prevention of the disease.

Analysis of the function of D279N mutation of VP2 of infectious bursal disease virus

Infectious bursal disease virus（IBDV）is responsible for the highly contagious infectious bursal disease of chickens.Further understanding the gene-function is necessary to design the tailored vaccine.The amino acid residue 279,located on strand P_F of VP2,is one of the three residues that have been reported to be involved in cell-tropism but with some inconsistency.In this study,to further clarify the amino acids involved in the cell tropism of IBDV,a series of mutations about residue 279were introduced into the VP2 of vv IBDV Gx strain.With the reverse genetic system,we found single mutation of D279N,double mutations of D279N/A284T or Q253H/D279N were not enough to adapt IBDV to chicken embryo fibroblast（CEF）cell.To evaluate whether residue 279 could influence the replication and virulence of IBDV,the virus r Gx HT-279 with three mutations（Q253H/D279N/A284T）was rescued and evaluated.Results showed that the mutation of residue 279 in VP2had no efficient effects on both the replication efficiency in vitro and the virulence to SPF chickens of IBDV.In summary,the results demonstrated that residue 279 of VP2 did not contribute efficiently to cell tropism,replication efficiency,and virulence of IBDV at least in some strains.These findings provided further information for understanding the gene function of IBDV.

Evaluation of the Protection against Infectious Bursal Disease (IBD) Challenge in Progeny Born to Parents Having Received a Vaccination Program Using a Herpesvirus of Turkey-Infectious Bursal Disease (HVT-IBD) Vector Vaccine

Broiler breeder vaccination against IBD is usually based on the injection of at least one inactivated vaccine in oil adjuvant, typically included in a combined vaccine. Priming using one or several IBD vaccine (s) has been the most common way to immunize the breeders so far. In summary, protection against vvIBD challenge in chicks of one commercial genetic line vaccinated in ovo with the HVT-IBD vector vaccine was demonstrated. The parents’ IBD vaccination program, using the HVT-IBD vector vaccine alone, the HVT-IBD vector vaccine plus IBD inactivated vaccine, and inactivated IBD vaccine alone, did not impair their progeny’s in ovo HVT-IBD vector vaccine take and subsequent protection against vvIBD virus challenge. An advantage in terms of immunization of the progeny against vvIBD was shown in the chicks born to breeders vaccinated with the HVT-IBD vaccine as a primer, as compared to breeders vaccinated with the inactivated vaccine alone. High level of IBD maternally-derived antibodies transmitted to the progeny by their parents induces together with an early onset of immunity by in ovo injection of a HVT-IBD vector vaccine clinical protection, as monitored on bursas, after vvIBD virus challenge.

Application of monoclonal antibodies against chicken infectious bursal disease virus(IBDV)

Preliminary study has been made to test wether three strains McAb（1B1,5D6, 6D8）are against the same antigen determinant.Througn ELISA additive and competition expeiments,itproved that these three strains are against different antigen determinant.The result of positiveserum antigen component analysis with 2 strains IBDV McAb showed that sample IBD positiveserum had obvious inhibition against combination of 5D6 McAb with corresponding antigen.Theresults of substitution of corresponding component in ELISA inhibition experiment and compari-son of non-IBD serum （SPF chicken serum,ND,MD,IA positive serum）proved that IBD anti-serum was the only one showing inhibition against 5D6 McAb.Comparison with AGP and electro-microscope observation showed that ELISA inhibition experiment was characterised by high-specificity,rapidity and sensitiveness.799 serum samples were tested with ELISA inhibition anddouble immunodiffusion（AGP） experiments.ELISA had gotten 486 positive,with positive rate of60.83%;and AGP 334。

Study on Propagation of Chicken Infectious Bursal Disease Virus on Vero Cells Using Microcarriers in Fermentor

It was in flask optimization tests proved that 2% serum, pH 7.0, 5:10 000 inoculation concentration of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) and 108 hours cultivation for IBDV harvest after its inoculation were the optimal conditions when IBDV was propagated on Vero cells. 250 ml self-made spinner bottle and 5 L stirring fermentor tests proved that IBDV could maintain higher liters for a long time and the highest liters of IBDV in a spinner bottle and a fermentor were 8.875 and 8.58 ( - lgTCID50/0.1 ml) respectively when IBDV was proliferated on Vero cells using 2 g/L microcarriers in a spinner bottle and a fermentor and was cultivated under the optimum conditions obtained from flask tests after Vero cells had developed a confluent monolayer on microcarriers, which were at least one titer higher than the highest titer in the traditional rolling bottle. All these results suggested that this technology could be applied to large scale production for IBDV.

Effect of Chicken Akirin2 Gene on Immune Response Induced by VP2 DNA Vaccine of Infectious Bursal Dis-ease Virus

[ Abstracts ] In order to investigate the effect of chicken Akirin2 gene on the immune response induced by VP2 DNA vaccine of infectious bursal disease virus （IBDV）. [ Methods] The 14-day-old SPF chickens were immunized with recombinant plasmids expressing VP2 protein and Akirin2 protein, and strength- ened immunization was conducted at the 14＇~ day after the first immunization. Finally, test chickens were challenged with IBDVBC6-85 virulent strain. [ Resultss ] Test results showed that Akirin2 gene could enhance the specific immune response induced by VP2 DNA vaccine, improve the proliferation of peripheral blood lym- phocytes and ＇affect the expressing of cytokines TNF-a, IFN-Y, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL 6, IL-9, IL-10, IL-17 and IL-18. Effects of recombinant plasmids co-ex- pressing Akirin2 protein and VP2 protein on cytokine expression showed some differences with the recombinant plasmids expressing Akirir/2 protein or VP2 protein along. [ Conclusions] Chicken Akirin2 gene could significantly enhance the humoral immune response and cellular immune response induced by VP2 DNA vaccine of IBDV.

Molecular characteristics and evolutionary analysis of a very virulent infectious bursal disease virus

Infectious bursal disease virus(IBDV) poses a significant threat to the poultry industry. Viral protein 2(VP2), the major structural protein of IBDV, has been subjected to frequent mutations that have imparted tremendous genetic diversity to the virus. To determine how amino acid mutations may affect the virulence of IBDV, we built a structural model of VP2 of a very virulent strain of IBDV identified in China, vv IBDV Gx, and performed a molecular dynamics simulation of the interaction between virulence sites. The study showed that the amino acid substitutions that distinguish vv IBDV from attenuated IBDV(H253Q and T284A) favor a hydrophobic and flexible conformation of ?-barrel loops in VP2, which could promote interactions between the virus and potential IBDV-specific receptors. Population sequence analysis revealed that the IBDV strains prevalent in East Asia show a significant signal of positive selection at virulence sites 253 and 284. In addition, a signal of co-evolution between sites 253 and 284 was identified. These results suggest that changes in the virulence of IBDV may result from both the interaction and the co-evolution of multiple amino acid substitutions at virulence sites.

N-terminal domain of the RNA polymerase of very virulent infectious bursal disease virus contributes to viral replication and virulence

Dear Editor,Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) causes an economically significant disease of chickens worldwide (Berg,2000). The molecular basis for the virulence of very virulent IBDV (vvIBDV) is not fully understood. Previous studies have shown that genome segment A, especically VP2 protein, plays the most important role in the tropism and pathogenicity of serotype 1 IBDV (Brandt et al., 2001). VP2 is,however, unlikely to be the only factor for the virulence of vvIBDV (Boot et al., 2000). A chrono-phylogenetic study suggested that the worldwide expansion of vvIBDV

抗传染性法氏囊病毒VP2蛋白单克隆抗体的制备及鉴定

传染性法氏囊病(infectious bursal disease,IBD)是由传染性法氏囊病毒(Infectious bursal bursal virus,IBDV)引起的一种高度传染性疾病,以雏鸡法氏囊萎缩、腿肌出血等为特征性病变,给世界家禽产业造成重大经济损失。目前,由新型变异株引起的IBD在我国呈现流行趋势。为建立基于IBDV VP2蛋白的免疫学诊断技术,本研究以新型变异毒株IBDV-LY21/2为模板,扩增其VP2基因,随后构建重组原核表达质粒pCold-Ⅰ-IBDV-VP2并转化BL21(DE3)大肠杆菌进行诱导表达,通过考马斯亮蓝染色和Western blot检测重组蛋白His-VP2的表达情况,并对其进行纯化和浓度测定。将His-VP2免疫BALB/c小鼠后,采用iELISA检测血清抗体效价,最后制备单克隆抗体并对其鉴定。结果显示,获得的重组蛋白His-VP2分子量约为50 kDa,浓度为8 mg/mL;通过两次亚克隆获得3株杂交瘤细胞株1G10F12、3E3E9、4D12G12,且重链均为IgG1型,轻链均为κ型;其中1G10F12、3E3E9可与重组蛋白Myc-VP2产生Western blot和IFA反应,而4D12G12只能与其产生IFA反应。本研究为IBD诊断方法的建立奠定了基础,同时为深入研究VP2蛋白的功能提供生物学工具。

三株传染性法氏囊病病毒重组毒株的致病性研究

鸡传染性法氏囊病(IBD)是由传染性法氏囊病毒(IBDV)引起雏鸡发病的一种高致病性免疫抑制性疾病,目前IBDV重组变异株性对鸡养殖业有严重危害。本研究对三株IBDV重组毒株进行全基因序列分析并测定其致病性差异。通过鸡胚分离鉴定并增殖三株IBDV毒株,利用Mega 11、MegAlign软件与参考毒株进行核苷酸同源性比对和氨基酸进化树绘制,将病原感染SPF鸡测定致病性,用实时荧光定量PCR方法检测脏器病毒拷贝量,结果显示:GD-1株属于A2dB3型,呈现新型变异A超强B特点,GD-2株和GD-3株同属于A3B1型,分别呈现超强A新型变异B和超强A早期变异B特点;三株病毒均未引起雏鸡死亡,GD-1株无明显临床症状,GD-2株和GD-3株在攻毒后7 d出现精神沉郁,卧地不起;引起其法氏囊显著萎缩、脾肿大,法氏囊载毒量要高于脾载毒量,在攻毒后第14天时GD-1株的法氏囊载毒量显著高于GD-2株和GD-3株;三组试验鸡法氏囊滤泡均发生萎缩,且GD-2组和GD-3组病变更严重,脾则是GD-1组病变更严重。本研究测定三株IBDV的序列、绘制进化树,测定致病性,显示三株病毒都有新型变异株的变异趋势,为研究IBDV致病机理和防控IBD提供参考。

非编码RNA在传染性法氏囊病病毒感染中的研究进展

传染性法氏囊病(infectious bursal disease, IBD)是由传染性法氏囊病病毒(IBD virus, IBDV)引起的急性、高度传染性和免疫抑制性禽类疾病。近年来,随着新型变异毒株的出现,IBDV仍然威胁着全球家禽养殖业的健康发展,宿主和IBDV之间的“战役”似乎永不停息。因此,迫切需要制定一种更全面和更有效的策略来控制该疾病,而深入了解IBDV与宿主之间的相互作用,将有助于开发新型疫苗。非编码RNA(non-coding RNA,ncRNAs)是一类丰富的不编码蛋白质的RNA分子,其中包括微小RNA(microRNAs, miRNAs)、长链非编码RNA(long non-coding RNA,lncRNAs)和环状RNA(circular RNA,circRNAs)。近年来,研究发现ncRNAs广泛参与IBDV与宿主的相互作用过程,在IBDV感染中发挥重要的调控作用。本文阐述了宿主miRNAs、lncRNAs和circRNAs在IBDV感染中的作用,以期为IBDV的感染与致病机制研究提供理论参考和新思路。

肉鸡源传染性法氏囊病新型重排毒株的分离鉴定及遗传进化分析

[目的]明确云南某肉鸡场疑似传染性法氏囊病病毒(IBDV)感染病例的病原类型及分子特征,以了解IBDV新型重排毒株在肉鸡中的流行情况、分子进化趋势,为制定有效的传染性法氏囊病(IBD)防控和疫苗选用策略提供参考依据。[方法]对疑似IBDV感染的病鸡法氏囊进行研磨处理后,采用巢式RT-PCR进行检测,后将IBDV阳性的法氏囊组织悬液接种于9日龄SPF鸡胚并进行病毒分离,对病毒的vVP2和VP1-b基因扩增并进行遗传变异分析。[结果]成功分离出一株新型IBDV重排毒株(命名为YN-YX221110),接种9日龄SPF鸡胚后,胚体整体呈现弥漫性出血,头、颈以及背部皮肤有出血点。基于vVP2基因序列,分离株YN-YX221110与新型变异株(nvIBDV)参考株的核苷酸相似性最高,为93.2%~97.9%,分离株YN-YX221110的vVP2基因222A特征性氨基酸位点与UK661、HK46等超强毒株(vvIBDV)参考株相同,249K、256V、279N、284A、294L、299S等位点与新型变异株(nvIBDV)参考株中的SHG19相同;在基于vVP2基因的遗传进化树中,分离株YN-YX221110与GX-QZ191002、SHG19等nvIBDV参考株聚为一支,属于A2d分支。基于VP1-b基因序列,分离株YN-YX221110与参考株中的经典毒株(cIBDV)类似株核苷酸相似性最高,为97.8%~98.4%,分离株YN-YX221110的vVP2基因特征性氨基酸位点240D、242D、287T、390L和393E与致弱毒株(attIBDV)参考株中的B87、Gt相同;在基于VP1-b基因序列的系统发育进化树中,分离株YN-YX221110与参考株Gt、B87和CEF94等cIBDV类似株中的attIBDV聚为一支,属于B1a分支。分离株YN-YX221110基因型为A2dB1a。[结论]成功分离得到肉鸡源IBDV分离株YN-YX221110,其A片段来源于nvIBDV,B片段来源于cIBDV类似株中的attIBDV,为新型IBDV重排毒株。

一株麻鸡传染性法氏囊病毒新型变异株的分离鉴定

近几年,鸡传染性法氏囊病毒新型变异株在我国广泛流行,主要发生于肉鸡,其致病力弱、隐蔽性强但能造成法氏囊严重萎缩。本研究从山东济宁地区临床出现法氏囊萎缩的发病麻鸡中采集法氏囊病料,接种SPF鸡胚进行病毒分离,通过RT-PCR方法进行病毒鉴定,将分离毒株回归SPF鸡进行致病性试验,同时对其主要抗原基因VP2进行进化分析。结果发现,该毒株能致死鸡胚;对其VP2基因进行测序比对和进化树分析发现,其与近几年的新型变异株基因序列的进化关系较近,同源性为96.1%~99.2%;人工感染SPF鸡第7 d法氏囊即出现较为明显的萎缩,第14 d萎缩更为明显,囊体比显著小于对照组(P<0.01)。本研究分离到的麻鸡源传染性法氏囊病毒JN22株属于新型变异株,能导致SPF鸡法氏囊显著萎缩。