scholarly journals Bi-reporter vaccinia virus for tracking viral infections in vitro and in vivo

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Chiem ◽  
María Lorenzo ◽  
Javier Rangel-Moreno ◽  
Maria de la Luz Garcia-Hernandez ◽  
Jun-Gyu Park ◽  
...  

Recombinant viruses expressing reporter genes allow visualization and quantification of viral infections and can be used as valid surrogates to identify the presence of the virus in infected cells and animal models. However, one of the limitations of recombinant viruses expressing reporter genes is the use of either fluorescent or luciferase proteins that are used alternatively for different purposes. Vaccinia virus (VV) is widely used as a viral vector, including recombinant (r)VV singly expressing either fluorescent or luciferase reporter genes that are useful for specific purposes. In this report, we engineered two novel rVV stably expressing both fluorescent (Scarlet or GFP) and luciferase (Nluc) reporter genes from different loci in the viral genome. In vitro, these bi-reporter expressing rVV have similar growth kinetics and plaque phenotype than those of the parental WR VV isolate. In vivo, rVV Nluc/Scarlet and rVV Nluc/GFP effectively infected mice and were easily detected using in vivo imaging systems (IVIS) and ex vivo in the lungs from infected mice. We used these bi-reporter expressing rVV to assess viral pathogenesis, infiltration of immune cells in the lungs, and to directly identify the different subsets of cells infected by VV in the absence of antibody staining. Collectively, these rVV expressing two reporter genes open the feasibility to study the biology of viral infections in vitro and in vivo, including host-pathogen interactions and dynamics or tropism of viral infections. Moreover, they represent an excellent approach for the discovery of new prophylactics and/or therapeutics for the treatment of poxvirus infections.

Author(s):  
Kevin Chiem ◽  
Maria M. Lorenzo ◽  
Javier Rangel-Moreno ◽  
Maria De La Luz Garcia-Hernandez ◽  
Jun-Gyu Park ◽  
...  

Despite the eradication of variola virus (VARV), the causative agent of smallpox, poxviruses still represent an important threat to human health due to their possible use as bioterrorism agents and the emergence of zoonotic poxvirus diseases. Recombinant vaccinia viruses (rVV) expressing easily traceable fluorescent or luciferase reporter genes have significantly contributed to the progress of poxvirus research.


Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1483
Author(s):  
Emily A. Bates ◽  
John R. Counsell ◽  
Sophie Alizert ◽  
Alexander T. Baker ◽  
Natalie Suff ◽  
...  

The human adenovirus phylogenetic tree is split across seven species (A–G). Species D adenoviruses offer potential advantages for gene therapy applications, with low rates of pre-existing immunity detected across screened populations. However, many aspects of the basic virology of species D—such as their cellular tropism, receptor usage, and in vivo biodistribution profile—remain unknown. Here, we have characterized human adenovirus type 49 (HAdV-D49)—a relatively understudied species D member. We report that HAdV-D49 does not appear to use a single pathway to gain cell entry, but appears able to interact with various surface molecules for entry. As such, HAdV-D49 can transduce a broad range of cell types in vitro, with variable engagement of blood coagulation FX. Interestingly, when comparing in vivo biodistribution to adenovirus type 5, HAdV-D49 vectors show reduced liver targeting, whilst maintaining transduction of lung and spleen. Overall, this presents HAdV-D49 as a robust viral vector platform for ex vivo manipulation of human cells, and for in vivo applications where the therapeutic goal is to target the lung or gain access to immune cells in the spleen, whilst avoiding liver interactions, such as intravascular vaccine applications.


2009 ◽  
Vol 83 (6) ◽  
pp. 2540-2552 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael H. Lehmann ◽  
Wolfgang Kastenmuller ◽  
Judith D. Kandemir ◽  
Florian Brandt ◽  
Yasemin Suezer ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Orthopoxviruses commonly enter into humans and animals via the respiratory tract. Herein, we show that immigration of leukocytes into the lung is triggered via intranasal infection of mice with modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) and not with the vaccinia virus (VACV) Elstree, Wyeth, or Western Reserve (WR) strain. Immigrating cells were identified as monocytes, neutrophils, and CD4+ lymphocytes by flow cytometry and could be detected 24 h and 48 h postinfection. Using an in vitro chemotaxis assay, we confirmed that infection with MVA induces the expression of a soluble chemotactic factor for monocytes, identified as CCL2 (monocyte chemotactic protein-1 [MCP-1]). In contrast to infection with several other VACV strains, MVA induced the expression of CCL2, CCL3, CCL4, and CXCL10 in the human monocytic cell line THP-1 as well as in primary human monocytes. Thus, MVA, and not the VACV Elstree, Wyeth, or WR strain, consistently triggered the expression of a panel of chemokines, including CCL2, in the murine lung, correlating considerably with the immigration of leukocytes. Using CCL2-deficient mice, we demonstrate that CCL2 plays a key role in MVA-triggered respiratory immigration of leukocytes. Moreover, UV irradiation of MVA prevented CCL2 expression in vitro and in vivo as well as respiratory immigration of leukocytes, demonstrating the requirement for an activated molecular viral life cycle. We propose that MVA-triggered chemokine expression causes early immigration of leukocytes to the site of infection, a feature that is important for rapid immunization and its safety and efficiency as a viral vector.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chengjin Ye ◽  
Kevin Chiem ◽  
Jun-Gyu Park ◽  
Jesus Silvas ◽  
Desarey Morales Vasquez ◽  
...  

Replication-competent recombinant viruses expressing reporter genes provide valuable tools to investigate viral infection. Low levels of reporter gene expressed from previous reporter-expressing rSARS-CoV-2 have jeopardized their use to monitor the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro or in vivo. Here, we report an alternative strategy where reporter genes were placed upstream of the viral nucleocapsid gene followed by a 2A cleavage peptide. The higher levels of reporter expression using this strategy resulted in efficient visualization of rSARS-CoV-2 in infected cultured cells and K18 hACE2 transgenic mice. Importantly, real-time viral infection was readily tracked using a non-invasive in vivo imaging system and allowed us to rapidly identify antibodies which are able to neutralize SARS-CoV-2 infection in vivo. Notably, these reporter-expressing rSARS-CoV-2 retained wild-type virus like pathogenicity in vivo, supporting their use to investigate viral infection, dissemination, pathogenesis and therapeutic interventions for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 in vivo.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ozgun Kocabiyik ◽  
Valeria Cagno ◽  
Paulo Jacob Silva ◽  
Yong Zhu ◽  
Laura Sedano ◽  
...  

AbstractInfluenza is one of the most widespread viral infections worldwide and represents a major public health problem. The risk that one of the next pandemics is caused by an influenza strain is very high. It is very important to develop broad-spectrum influenza antivirals to be ready for any possible vaccine shortcomings. Anti-influenza drugs are available but they are far from ideal. Arguably, an ideal antiviral should target conserved viral domains and be virucidal, i.e. irreversibly inhibit viral infectivity. Here, we describe a new class of broad-spectrum anti-influenza macromolecules that meets these criteria and displays exceedingly low toxicity. These compounds are based on a cyclodextrin core modified on its primary face with long hydrophobic linkers terminated in 6’sialyl-N-acetyllactosamine (6’SLN) or 3’SLN. SLN enables nanomolar inhibition of the viruses while the hydrophobic linkers confer irreversibility to the inhibition. The combination of these two properties allows for efficacy in vitro against several human or avian influenza strains, as well as against a 2009 pandemic influenza strain ex vivo. Importantly, we show that, in mice, the compounds provide therapeutic efficacy when administered 24h post-infection allowing 90% survival as opposed to no survival for the placebo and oseltamivir..


Genes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 918
Author(s):  
Angela Steyn ◽  
Sarah Keep ◽  
Erica Bickerton ◽  
Mark Fife

The coronaviruses are a large family of enveloped RNA viruses that commonly cause gastrointestinal or respiratory illnesses in the infected host. Avian coronavirus infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) is a highly contagious respiratory pathogen of chickens that can affect the kidneys and reproductive systems resulting in bird mortality and decreased reproductivity. The interferon-inducible transmembrane (IFITM) proteins are activated in response to viral infections and represent a class of cellular restriction factors that restrict the replication of many viral pathogens. Here, we characterize the relative mRNA expression of the chicken IFITM genes in response to IBV infection, in vivo, ex vivo and in vitro using the pathogenic M41-CK strain, the nephropathogenic QX strain and the nonpathogenic Beaudette strain. In vivo we demonstrate a significant upregulation of chIFITM1, 2, 3 and 5 in M41-CK- and QX-infected trachea two days post-infection. In vitro infection with Beaudette, M41-CK and QX results in a significant upregulation of chIFITM1, 2 and 3 at 24 h post-infection. We confirmed a differential innate response following infection with distinct IBV strains and believe that our data provide new insights into the possible role of chIFITMs in early IBV infection.


Author(s):  
Emily A. Bates ◽  
John R. Counsell ◽  
Sophie Alizert ◽  
Alexander T. Baker ◽  
Natalie Suff ◽  
...  

The human adenovirus phylogenetic tree is split across seven species (A-G). Species D adenoviruses offer potential advantages for gene therapy applications, with low rates of preexisting immunity detected across screened populations. However, many aspects of the basic virology of species D, such as their cellular tropism, receptor usage and in vivo biodistribution profile, remain unknown. Here, we have characterized human adenovirus type 49 (HAdV-D49), a relatively understudied species D member. We report that HAdV-D49 does not appear to use a single pathway to gain cell entry but appears able to interact with various surface molecules for entry. As such, HAdV-D49 can transduce a broad range of cell types in vitro, with variable engagement of blood coagulation FX. Interestingly, when comparing in vivo biodistribution to adenovirus type 5, HAdV-D49 vectors show reduced liver targeting whilst maintaining transduction of lung and spleen. Overall, this presents HAdV-D49 as a robust viral vector platform for ex vivo manipulation of human cells and for in vivo applications where the therapeutic goal is to target the lung or gain access to immune cells in the spleen whilst avoiding liver interactions, such as intravascular vaccine applications.


2006 ◽  
Vol 80 (19) ◽  
pp. 9391-9401 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graciela Andrei ◽  
Don B. Gammon ◽  
Pierre Fiten ◽  
Erik De Clercq ◽  
Ghislain Opdenakker ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Cidofovir [(S)-1-(3-hydroxy-2-phosphonylmethoxypropyl)cytosine (HPMPC)] is recognized as a promising drug for the treatment of poxvirus infections, but drug resistance can arise by a mechanism that is poorly understood. We show here that in vitro selection for high levels of resistance to HPMPC produces viruses encoding two substitution mutations in the virus DNA polymerase (E9L) gene. These mutations are located within the regions of the gene encoding the 3′-5′ exonuclease (A314T) and polymerase (A684V) catalytic domains. These mutant viruses exhibited cross-resistance to other nucleoside phosphonate drugs, while they remained sensitive to other unrelated DNA polymerase inhibitors. Marker rescue experiments were used to transfer A314T and/or A684V alleles into a vaccinia virus Western Reserve strain. Either mutation alone could confer a drug resistance phenotype, although the degree of resistance was significantly lower than when virus encoded both mutations. The A684V substitution, but not the A314T change, also conferred a spontaneous mutator phenotype. All of the HPMPC-resistant recombinant viruses exhibited reduced virulence in mice, demonstrating that these E9L mutations are inextricably linked to reduced fitness in vivo. HPMPC, at a dose of 50 mg/kg of body weight/day for 5 days, still protected mice against intranasal challenge with the drug-resistant virus with A314T and A684V mutations. Our studies show that proposed drug therapies offer a reasonable likelihood of controlling orthopoxvirus infections, even if the viruses encode drug resistance markers.


1963 ◽  
Vol 117 (1) ◽  
pp. 149-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lowell A. Glasgow ◽  
Karl Habel

Vaccinia virus penetrates, or is phagocytosed by, mouse leukocytes in vitro. A cytotoxic effect is observed, but no new infectious virus is produced. Vaccinia virus, as infectious particles, is eliminated from a culture of leukocytes at a more rapid rate than can be accounted for by thermal inactivation. Leukocytes infected with vaccinia virus produce a substance with the properties of interferon. The evidence presented suggests that leukocytes also produce interferon in vivo and that this interferon is related to the observed protective effect on the outcome of intracerebral vesicular stomatitis virus challenge in mice. It is postulated that leukocytes, in this manner, may make a positive contribution to the host's defense mechanism and to the process of recovery from viral infections.


Author(s):  
Emily A. Bates ◽  
John R. Counsell ◽  
Sophie Alizert ◽  
Alexander T. Baker ◽  
Natalie Suff ◽  
...  

The human adenovirus phylogenetic tree is split across seven species (A-G). Species D adenoviruses offer potential advantages for gene therapy applications, with low rates of preexisting immunity detected across screened populations. However, many aspects of the basic virology of species D, such as their cellular tropism, receptor usage and in vivo biodistribution profile, remain unknown. Here, we have characterized human adenovirus type 49 (HAdV-D49), a relatively understudied species D member. We report that HAdV-D49 does not appear to use a single pathway to gain cell entry but appears able to interact with various surface molecules for entry. As such, HAdV-D49 can transduce a broad range of cell types in vitro, with variable engagement of blood coagulation FX. Interestingly, when comparing in vivo biodistribution to adenovirus type 5, HAdV-D49 vectors show reduced liver targeting whilst maintaining transduction of lung and spleen. Overall, this presents HAdV-D49 as a robust viral vector platform for ex vivo manipulation of human cells and for in vivo applications where the therapeutic goal is to target the lung or gain access to immune cells in the spleen whilst avoiding liver interactions, such as intravascular vaccine applications.


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