Development of plaque assays for adenoviruses 40 and 41

Enteric adenoviruses, important agents of infantile gastroenteritis, are difficult to culture with low titers and limited CPE. Consequently, few plaque assays have been reported and none are used routinely by investigators who may need reproducible quantitative assays for these viruses. CPE in A549 cells (an epithelial lung carcinoma cell line) was induced by isolates of human adenovirus (HAdV) serotypes 40 or 41 that were obtained by prior limited passage in primary cynmolgous monkey kidney (pCMK), human embryonic kidney (HEK), and Graham 293 cells. CPE with HAdV 40 (Dugan strain) and HAdV 41 (Tak strain) inoculated in A549 cells was also observed. Monolayers of A549 cells were inoculated with a low multiplicity of infection (MOI) of the archived stock isolates and harvested at days 10-14 with full CPE. Subsequent passages were harvested in as few as 7 days with 100% CPE to prepare virus stocks for plaque assay. Large individual plaques under agarose overlay were picked prior to staining and clonal stocks prepared. Titers of final stock preparations after six to eight passages in A549 cells were in the range of 5 x 10(7)-1 x 10(8)PFU/ml, which provides adequate virus for quantitative recovery studies. The particle to infectivity (P:I) ratios of the early passages of virus stocks were in the range reported previously. The ratio of non-infectious to infectious particles decreased with successive passages of HAdVs 40 and 41 in A549 cells. The specificity of the assay was confirmed by neutralization of plaques with type-specific antisera. Furthermore, sequence analysis of the HAdVs 40 and 41 plaque forming stocks ruled out contamination with any other HAdVs. The plaque assay developed will be useful for evaluation of virus recovery methods from water, food or other environmental matrices, as well as determination of the efficacy of water treatment techniques for inactivation of these viruses.     

Reproduction of Lassa virus in different cell cultures

Sierra Leone strain of Lassa virus was growing to high titres of 10(5)-10(6) plaque forming units (PFU) per ml in Vero, L and swine kidney cell lines as well as in diploid human cells and primary human embryo kidney cells. As many as 80% of the cells became infected as demonstrated by the immunofluorescence (IF) technique. In BHK-21, CV-1, HeLa, FL, HEp-2 and dog kidney cell lines, the virus reproduced to lower titres (10(4)-10(5) PFU per ml), whereas in primary chick embryo fibroblasts it did not multiply at all. The virus formed plaques under agar overlay only in CV-1 and Vero cells.     

Restricted replication of primary HIV-1 isolates using both CCR5 and CXCR4 in Th2 but not in Th1 CD4(+) T cells

We have previously reported that CCR5-dependent human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1; R5), but not CXCR4-restricted (X4) virus, efficiently replicates in T helper cell type 1 (Th1), Th2, or Th0 polyclonal T cells obtained from human umbilical cord blood (CB lines). The X4 virus restriction was env-dependent but did not occur at the level of viral entry. Here, we describe that in contrast to these monotropic HIVs, primary HIV-1 isolates capable of using CCR5 or CXCR4 indifferently for entry (i.e., R5X4 viruses) efficiently replicated in Th2 but not in Th1 CB lines. Although Th1 cells secreted significantly higher amounts of the three CCR5-binding chemokines in comparison with Th2 cells, this restriction was not explained by a defective infection of Th1 cells. Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) down-regulated CCR5 in Th1 cells and inhibited, whereas interleukin-4 (IL-4) up-regulated CXCR4 and enhanced the spreading of R5 and R5X4 viruses in polarized CB lines. However, both cytokines did not rescue the replication of X4 and dualtropic viruses in both types of CB lines or in Th1 cells, respectively, whereas addition of anti-IL-4- or anti-IFN-gamma-neutralizing antibodies did not activate virus expression. These findings together suggest the existence of post-entry restriction pathways influenced by gp120 Env/chemokine coreceptor interaction that may significantly contribute to the superior capacity of R5 and R5X4 HIV-1 strains to spread in vivo in comparison to X4 monotropic viruses.     

乙脑病毒持续感染模型中变异株性状及NS3区序列分析

目的　研究乙脑病毒变异性状与NS3区基因序列的关系。方法　应用乙脑病毒野生株及一种人肝癌细胞KN73建立持续感染模型 ,采用标准胰蛋白酶消化技术进行细胞传代 ,经反复冻融法收集细胞内变异病毒。采用BHK细胞空斑实验方法进行病毒滴定 ,利用NS3区特异引物进行逆转录 多聚酶链反应以获NS3区基因片段 ,应用ABI PRSMTM310测序系统进行序列分析。结果　在早期 (感染后 2 4～ 36h)细胞培养液中病毒量为 10 6PFU/ml,在后期 (感染后 3年 )细胞培养液中病毒量为10 3～ 4 PFU/ml,细胞内病毒含量一直维持在 10 2～ 3PFU/ml水平。NS3区测序结果可见 :位于核苷酸碱基序列上第 6 6位C→U ,第 72位A→C ,第 2 94位U→C ,第 30 6位A→G及第 342位A→G ,但相应编码的氨基酸未发生变异。结论　变异株存在性状变异 ,即增殖性低于野生株 ;NS3区编码蛋白对野生株及变异株均至关重要 ,亦提示病毒性状变异的原因可能由其它区域蛋白变异或病毒与宿主间蛋白相互作用所致     

Selective elimination of HIV-1-infected cells by Env-directed, HIV-1-based virus-like particles

We recently showed that both replicating and resting cells cultivated with ganciclovir (GCV) were killed when challenged with vesicular stomatitis virus G glycoprotein pseudotyped HIV-1-based virus-like particles (VLPs) carrying the Nef7 (i.e., an HIV-1 Nef mutant incorporating in virions at high levels)/herpes simplex virus-1 thymidine kinase (HSV-TK) fusion product. On this basis, a novel anti-HIV therapeutic approach based on Nef7/TK VLPs expressing X4 or R5 HIV cell receptor complexes has been attempted. We here report that (CD4-CXCR4) and (CD4-CCR5) Nef7-based VLPs efficiently enter cells infected by X4- or R5-tropic HIV-1 strains, respectively. Importantly, the delivery of the VLP-associated Nef7/TK led to cell death upon GCV treatment. Of interest, VLPs were effective also against non-replicating, HIV-1-infected primary human monocyte-derived macrophages. HIV-targeted VLPs represent a promising candidate for the treatment of persistently HIV-1-infected cells that are part of virus reservoirs resistant to HAART therapies.     

Experiences with the adaptation of crimean hemorrhagic fever virus to the CV-1 monkey cell line.

Of several cell lines tested, the CV-1 monkey cell line proved to be the most suitable system for propagation of Crimean hemorrhagic fever (CHF) virus. Two CHF strains could be adapted to this cell line by serial passaging. The viral progeny from these passages was specifically cytocidal and produced plaques in CV-1 cells, which could be used in serological diagnosis of CHF. After adaptation of CHF virus to CV-1 cells, the rate of virus synthesis was more rapid, but the yield of virus produced by these cells did not substantially increase. Data reported on cultivation of CHF-Congo viruses are discussed in comparison with the present findings.     

Effect of a CCR5 inhibitor on viral loads in macaques dual-infected with R5 and X4 primate immunodeficiency viruses

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) fusion with its target cells is initiated by sequential interactions between its envelope glycoprotein, CD4, and a co-receptor, usually CCR5 or CXCR4. Small molecules that bind to CCR5 and prevent its use by R5 HIV-1 strains are now being developed clinically as antiviral drugs. To test whether a block to CCR5 promotes the replication of viruses that enter cells via CXCR4 and are associated with accelerated disease progression, we administered a small molecule CCR5 inhibitor, CMPD 167, to three macaques dual-infected with both R5 (SIVmac251) and X4 (SHIV-89.6P) viruses. CMPD 167 caused a rapid and substantial (on average, 50-fold) suppression of R5 virus replication in each animal. In two of the animals, but not in the third, a rapid, transient, 8- to 15-fold increase in the amount of plasma X4 virus occurred. In neither animal was the increase in X4 viral load sustained throughout therapy, however. These observations may have relevance for the development of CCR5 inhibitors for treatment of HIV-1 infection of humans.     

Interaction between 6/94 virus, a parainfluenza type 1 strain, and mouse macrophages.

The 6/94 virus, a type 1 parainfluenza virus recovered from multiple sclerosis brain cells after lysolecithin-induced fusion of these cells with African green monkey kidney cells (CV-1), has been found to grow in splenic and peritoneal macrophages obtained from outbred and different strains of inbred mice. Macrophages from C57BL animals were least susceptible to infection, a resistance apparently partially age related. The virus also has been found to replicate in IC21 cells, a line of simian virus 40 virus-transformed mouse macrophages. Viral growth was detected by development of hemadsorption in infected cells, followed by the appearance of infectious virus. The growth of 6/94 virus had different kinetics in mouse macrophages, in the standard continuous cell lines L, 3T3, and CV-1, and in primary mouse kidney and mouse embryo cells. The virus produced in macrophages could be passed in series to other macrophage cultures. In addition, once infected, the cultures continued to produce virus, and permanently infected cell lines were thus obtained. Macrophages from immunized mice with high titers of humoral neutralizing antibodies were found variably able to support virus growth.     

Low pH-induced cytopathic effect--a survey of seven hantavirus strains.

Hantaviruses do not produce cytopathic effects (CPE) in cell culture. However, a syncytial CPE can be induced in 7-day cultures of hantavirus growing in Vero E6 cells by reduction of the pH to approximately 6.2 using a HEPES based buffer. The appearance of this acid induced CPE was examined for seven different hantavirus strains. The differences noted were striking and reflected the taxonomic differences between hantaviruses. At 10-100 TCID50% the size of syncytial foci was very large for Seoul type viruses and smallest for Puumala viruses. The size of syncytia for Hantaan (HTN) virus was intermediate between Puumala (PUU) and Seoul (SEO) type viruses.     

Membrane fusion of mumps virus with ghost erythrocytes and CV-1 cells.

The octadecyl rhodamine (R18) fluorescent dequenching assay was used to examine membrane fusion between mumps virus and mammalian cells. Rapid fluorescent dequenching, indicative of membrane fusion, was observed when labeled mumps virus was mixed with either ghost erythrocytes or CV-1 cells. After 15 min a saturation limit of 18 virus per erythrocyte ghost and 6400 virus per CV-1 cell was observed. Fetuin was found to inhibit virus fusion, suggesting a role for sialic acid in virus binding to the cells. Two dequenching processes were observed of which the faster process is thought to be membrane fusion and the second process is thought to be probe proximal transfer.     

Persistent parainfluenza type 1 (6/94) infection of brain cells in tissue culture

Summary A state of persistent infection with parainfluenza type 1 virus (6/94 strain) was established in cultures of human and bovine brain cells. Following primary infection of human brain cells, viral cytopathic effect (CPE) and hemadsorption (HAD) depended on the multiplicity of infection. After persistent infection was established the virus rapidly became cell-associated; no CPE occurred and no viral antigen was detectable by HAD, immunofluorescence (FA), or immunoprecipitation. Infectious virus could be recovered only by fusion or cocultivation. This was in marked contrast with infected bovine brain cells, where, following primary infection, little or no CPE occurred. A productive infection rapidly evolved and persisted without CPE, but with 100 per cent HAD and FA positive cells.With 6 Figures     

Permanent canine kidney (MDCK) cells for isolation and plaque assay of influenza B viruses

A wide range of influenza B virus strains with various passage histories uniformly formed well-defined clear plaques with high efficiency in cultures of an established line of canine kidney cells (MDCK). PFU titers of the viruses assayed in MDCK exceeded the titers assayedin ovo. With recently isolated strains such as B/Hong Kong/5/72 and Gifu/2/73, the PFU/EID₅₀ ratios were as high as 100 to 400. MDCK cells have been successfully employed for primary isolation of influenza B viruses from throat washings of patients by direct plaquing.     

Differentiation of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 by sensitivity to (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2''-deoxyuridine.

Selective inhibition of herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 replication but not of HSV type 2 replication by (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)2'-deoxyuridine (BVDU) was utilized to differentiate clinical isolates of these viruses. BVDU (0.7 microgram/ml) reduced HSV type 1 PFU by an average of 2.74 log10, but had no effect on the plaque-forming ability of HSV type 2 isolates. The incorporation of BVDU into the media of primary cell cultures used for virus isolation in the clinical laboratory allowed for the correct presumptive identification of HSV types.     

Previous immunization of mice with herpes simplex virus type-1 strain MP protects against secondary corneal infection

Herpes simplex virus (HSV)-induced ocular disease is occurring in epidemic proportions throughout the world, and is the number one cause of unilateral corneal blindness in all developed countries. We have found, in a mouse model of herpes simplex keratitis (HSK), that products encoded by the Igh-1 locus on chromosome 12 exert a profound influence on the immune/inflammatory response in the cornea after HSV inoculation in the cornea. Thus, mice with Igh-1c or Igh-1d phenotype routinely develop extreme keratopathy and loss of corneal clarity after HSV encounter in the eye, while congenic strains expressing other Igh-1 phenotypes develop substantially less keratopathy. We examined the effect of previous subcutaneous immunization with the mutant, less virulent, MP strain of HSV on the development of keratitis and encephalitis after secondary corneal inoculation with strains MP, mP, F, and KOS. A/J mice (Igh-1c), 5-6 weeks old, were injected sc with live HSV-1 strain MP. Controls were injected with culture media without virus. Three weeks later both immunized and control nonimmunized animals were challenged in the cornea with HSV-1, strains MP, mP, F, and KOS. The animals were clinically scored for keratitis and encephalitis at regular intervals for 21 days following corneal challenge. None of the immunized animals challenged in the cornea with strain MP, 5 X 10(4) plaque-forming units (PFU), developed clinical signs of encephalitis compared to 86% of unimmunized controls. Of the immunized animals challenged in the cornea with strain MP, 5 X 10(4) PFU, only 18% developed a mild keratitis, while 96% of unimmunized controls developed severe keratitis. Mice immunized subcutaneously with MP and subsequently challenged corneally with other HSV-1 strains (mP, F, or KOS) were also protected from development of severe keratopathy.     

The cultivation of human rotavirus, strain 'Wa', to high titer in cell culture and characterization of the viral structural polypeptides

The structural proteins of the 'Wa' (serotype 2) strain of human rotavirus have not been described previously. Single-cycle virus growth in MA-104 cells using 5 micrograms/ml of trypsin in the growth medium was rapid with maximal viral yields (approximately 10(6) PFU/ml) obtained 10-12 h post-infection. There was a continuous progression of cytopathic effect (CPE) from 6- to 5-h post-infection. Under conditions of multiple-cycle growth, a greater concentration of trypsin (40 micrograms/ml) in the growth medium was required to obtain rapid progression of CPE and production of a high titer (approximately 10(7) PFU/ml) of infectious (double-shelled) virus. Single- and double-shelled virions were separated by isopycnic centrifugation in CsCl and analyzed by SDS-PAGE. Five proteins with molecular weights of 116,000, 92,000, 88,000, 84,000 and 41,000 were identified as components of the inner shell and four proteins with molecular weights of 60,000, 38,000, 32,000 and 27,000 were located in the outer shell.     

Perinatal infection by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1): relationship between proviral copy number in vivo, viral properties in vitro, and clinical outcome.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) isolates from 25 perinatally HIV-1 infected children were classified according to their capacity to replicate in vitro as rapid (R), intermediate (S/R) and slow (S) variants. R-type viruses replicated on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and grew better in T-lymphoid cells, even though 9 out of 12 isolates also maintained tropism for monocytoid cells. The S/R-type isolates replicated efficiently after several days of culture, while the S-type viruses displayed only a low and transient replication activity; however, both S/R- and S-type isolates exerted viral transactivation activity in an indicator monocytoid cell line. Replication patterns in vitro were significantly associated in vivo with the number of HIV-1 copies in PBMCs as determined by polymerase chain reaction: in children with R-type isolates, the number of HIV-1 proviral DNA molecules/10(5) PBMCs ranged from 62 to 571, and in children with S/R and S isolates the range was 5-43. Seven children had severe symptomatic HIV-1 infection, and in all an R-type virus was identified; 18 children had no or only mild symptoms, and among these, S-, S/R-, and R-type isolates were found in 5, 8, and 5 cases, respectively. Besides demonstrating HIV-1 variability in perinatal infection, these findings suggest that R-type virus might be a prerequisite for disease progression.     

Isolation of cell lines transformed by highly oncogenic simian adenovirus SA7 and nononcogenic human adenovirus type 6 and their DNAs

Methods for generation of cell lines transformed by highly oncogenic simian adenovirus SA7, nononcogenic human adenovirus type 6 and their DNAs are described. WAG rat kidney cells were used for transformation. To produce 1 focus of transformation, 1.7 X 10(6) PFU of SA7 virus is required. Intact and fragmented DNA of both viruses may be quite effectively used for transformation. For production of 1 transformation focus 1.2 microgram SA7 DNA and 1.1 microgram type 6 adenovirus DNA is required. In most cases, DNA fragmentation increases the transforming activity which has been shown to be associated with the left genome region of both viruses under study.     

Studies on the behavior of arboviruses in an Aedes aegypti mosquito cell line (Peleg)

Summary Aedes aegypti mosquito cell cultures inoculated with eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus, yielded at the height of infection about 50% virus-producing cells, and a calculated amount of 600 PFU per infected cell, yet CPE was not observed. Cultures co-infected with EEE and Semliki Forest (SF) viruses supported the proliferation of both viruses, but no CPE or other evidence for the enhancement of infection was manifested. The apparent absence of doubly infected cells in cultures exposed simultaneously to EEE and SF viruses suggested that the two viruses were proliferating in different target cells.This investigation was supported by Research Grant 06-325-01 from the US Public Health Service, Bureau of State Services.     

体外转录制备的siRNAs对SARS-CoV复制的抑制作用

目的体外研究针对SARS-CoV RNA依赖性RNA聚合酶（RNA-dependent RNA polymerase,RdRp）的小干扰RNA（Small interference RNA,siRNA）对SARS-CoV感染的抑制效应。方法利用Ambion公司在线设计工具,设计出4条针对RdRp基因的siRNAs,并在体外利用试剂盒进行转录合成。在SARS-CoV感染前1d,将这4条体外转录的siRNAs用Lipofectamine 2000试剂转染入Vero E6细胞中。感染后,每天观察感染细胞的细胞病变效应（Cytopathic effect,CPE）。第5天,用空斑形成实验（Plaque formation unit,PFU）检测感染细胞培养上清液中SARS-CoV滴度。结果CPE结果显示,在感染后的前4d,各siRNAs均能有效地保护细胞免受感染;在第5天,4条siRNAs中有3条仍能有效保护细胞不被感染。PFU实验结果显示,在第5天,所有siRNAs转染的细胞培养上清液中,SARS-CoV的滴度均显著低于阳性对照（P〈0．001）。结论实验结果表明针对SARS-CoV的RdRp基因的siRNAs能有效而特异地抑制该病毒在哺乳动物细胞中的复制和繁殖,提示如果应用合适的给药途径,RNAi策略可以用于体内抑制SARS-CoV的感染。