scholarly journals Protective Immunity to Rabbit Oral and Cutaneous Papillomaviruses by Immunization with Short Peptides of L2, the Minor Capsid Protein

2002 ◽  
Vol 76 (19) ◽  
pp. 9798-9805 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica E. Embers ◽  
Lynn R. Budgeon ◽  
Martin Pickel ◽  
Neil D. Christensen

ABSTRACT The papillomavirus minor capsid protein, L2, has been shown to exhibit immunogenicity, whereby a variety of B-cell epitopes, predominantly in the amino terminus of L2, have been deduced. However, immunity to L2 in vivo has not been examined extensively. Notably, a common neutralization epitope for human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6 and 16 was mapped to amino acids (aa) 108 to 120. The objectives of this study were to derive antisera from rabbits using the corresponding sequences from rabbit viruses and to assess the ability of these peptides to protect against infection. Synthetic peptides consisting of two overlapping sequences each in the region of aa 94 to 122 of the rabbit oral (ROPV) and cottontail rabbit (CRPV) papillomaviruses were used to immunize rabbits. Rabbits were then infected with both ROPV and CRPV and monitored for the development of oral and cutaneous papillomas, respectively. Serum derived from rabbits immunized with either of the two peptides was shown to (i) react to purified L2 from the cognate virus, (ii) specifically recognize L2 within virus-infected cells, and (iii) neutralize virus in vitro. Following viral challenge, cutaneous papilloma growth was completely absent in rabbits immunized with either CRPV peptide. Likewise, ROPV peptide-immunized rabbits were protected from oral papillomatosis. Challenge of CRPV peptide-immune rabbits with the viral genome resulted in efficient papilloma growth, suggesting a neutralizing antibody-mediated mechanism of protection. These results afford in vivo evidence for the immunogenicity provided by a distinct region of L2 and further support previous evidence for the ability of this region to elicit antiviral immunity.

2002 ◽  
Vol 83 (2) ◽  
pp. 351-358 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaskamal Girn ◽  
Mojgan Kavoosi ◽  
Janet Chantler

Group B coxsackieviruses (CVBs) are a major cause of viral myocarditis and pancreatitis in humans and produce a similar pattern of disease in inbred strains of mice. As there are six strains of CVBs, individuals can be infected with multiple serotypes. This raises the possibility of antibody enhancement of infectivity (AEI) by cross-reactive but non-neutralizing antibody to a different strain from a prior infection. To determine whether AEI plays a role in coxsackievirus pathogenesis, an in vitro system using the murine macrophage cell line J774.1 was tested for enhanced infection when incubated with CVB3 plus anti-CVB2 antibody. Yields of virus were found to increase by 10–50-fold and the percentage of infected cells increased proportionately. The effect was Fc-mediated as F(ab′)2 fragments of the antibody could not mediate the effect. To determine whether AEI could also be demonstrated in vivo CVB3 was injected into 5-week-old mice together with mouse polyclonal anti-CVB2. Controls included mice injected with PBS or CVB3 alone. Results showed that the titres of virus in tissues of animals injected with virus plus antibody were 1–2 logs higher than when virus was injected alone. This was accompanied by greater histopathological damage, particularly in the heart. These results have implications for human disease as infection with multiple strains likely occurs during the lifetime of an individual.


2017 ◽  
pp. JVI.01930-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Somayeh Pouyanfard ◽  
Gloria Spagnoli ◽  
Lorenzo Bulli ◽  
Kathrin Balz ◽  
Fan Yang ◽  
...  

The amino terminus of the human papillomavirus minor capsid protein L2 contains a major cross-neutralization epitope which provides the basis for the development of a broadly protecting HPV vaccine. Wide range of protection against different HPV types would eliminate one of the major drawbacks of the commercial, L1 based prophylactic vaccines. Previously, we have reported that insertion of the L2 epitope into a scaffold composed of bacterial thioredoxin protein generates a potent antigen inducing comprehensive protection against different animal and human papillomaviruses. We also reported, however, that although protection is broad, some oncogenic HPV types escape the neutralizing antibody response, if L2 epitopes from single HPV types are used as immunogen. We were able to compensate for this by applying a mix of thioredoxin proteins carrying L2 epitopes from HPV types 16, 31, and 51. As the development of a cost-efficient HPV prophylactic vaccines is one of our objectives, this approach is not feasible as it requires the development of multiple good manufacturing production processes in combination with a complex vaccine formulation. Here we report the development of a thermostable thioredoxin based single peptide vaccine carrying an L2 polytope of up to 11 different HPV types. The L2 polytope antigens have excellent abilities in respect to broadness of protection and robustness of induced immune responses. To further increase immunogenicity, we fused the thioredoxin L2 polytope antigen with a heptamerization domain. In the final vaccine design, we achieve protective responses against all 14 oncogenic HPV types we have analyzed plus the low risk HPV types 6 and 11 and a number of cutaneous HPVs.ImportanceInfections by a large number of human papillomaviruses lead to malignant and non-malignant disease. Current commercial vaccines based on virus-like particles effectively protect against some HPV types but fail to do so for most others. Further, only about a third of all countries have access to the VLP vaccines. The minor capsid protein L2 has been shown to contain so called neutralization epitopes within its N-terminus. We designed polytopes comprising the L2 epitope amino acids 20-38 of up to 11 different mucosal HPV types and inserted them into the scaffold of thioredoxin derived from a thermophile achaebacterium. The antigen induced neutralizing antibody responses in mice and guinea pigs against 26 mucosal and cutaneous HPV types. Further, addition of a heptamerization domain significantly increased the immunogenicity. The final vaccine design comprising an heptamerized L2 8mer thioredoxin single peptide antigen with excellent thermal stability might overcome some of the limitations of the current VLP vaccines.


1998 ◽  
Vol 72 (12) ◽  
pp. 9729-9737 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi-Ling Lin ◽  
Ching-Len Liao ◽  
Li-Kuang Chen ◽  
Chia-Tsui Yeh ◽  
Chiu-I Liu ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Here we report that severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice engrafted with human K562 cells (K562-SCID mice) can be used as an animal model to study dengue virus (DEN) infection. After intratumor injection into K562 cell masses of PL046, a Taiwanese DEN-2 human isolate, the K562-SCID mice showed neurological signs of paralysis and died at approximately 2 weeks postinfection. In addition to being detected in the tumor masses, high virus titers were detected in the peripheral blood and the brain tissues, indicating that DEN had replicated in the infected K562-SCID mice. In contrast, the SCID mice were resistant to DEN infection and the mock-infected K562-SCID mice survived for over 3 months. These data illustrate that DEN infection contributed directly to the deaths of the infected K562-SCID mice. Other serotypes of DEN were also used to infect the K562-SCID mice, and the mortality rates of the infected mice varied with different challenge strains, suggesting the existence of diverse degrees of virulence among DENs. To determine whether a neutralizing antibody against DEN in vitro was also protective in vivo, the K562-SCID mice were challenged with DEN-2 and received antibody administration at the same time or 1 day earlier. Our results revealed that the antibody-treated mice exhibited a reduction in mortality and a delay of paralysis onset after DEN infection. In contrast to K562-SCID, the persistently DEN-infected K562 cells generated in vitro invariably failed to be implanted in the mice. It seems that in the early stage of implantation, a gamma interferon activated, nitric oxide-mediated anti-DEN effect might play a role in the innate immunity against DEN-infected cells. The system described herein offers an opportunity to explore DEN replication in vivo and to test various antiviral protocols in infected hosts.


1979 ◽  
Vol 57 (6) ◽  
pp. 902-913 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick W. K. Lee ◽  
John S. Colter

Studies of the synthesis of viral ribonucleates and polypeptides in cells infected with two RNA−ts mutants of Mengo virus (ts 135 and ts 520) have shown that when ts 135 infected cells are shifted from the permissive (33 °C) to the nonpermissive (39 °C) temperature: (i) the synthesis of all three species of viral RNA (single stranded, replicative form, and replicative intermediate) is inhibited to about the same extent, and (ii) the posttranslational cleavage of structural polypeptide precursors A and B is partially blocked. Investigations of the in vivo and in vitro stability of the viral RNA replicase suggest that the RNA− phentotype reflects a temperature-sensitive defect in the enzyme. The second defect does not appear to result from the inhibition of viral RNA synthesis at 39 °C, since normal cleavage of polypeptides A and B occurs in wt Mengo-infected cells in which viral RNA synthesis is blocked by cordycepin, and at the nonpermissive temperature in ts 520 infected cells. Considered in toto, the evidence suggests that ts 135 is a double mutant.Subviral (53 S) particles have been shown to accumulate in ts 520 (but not ts 135) infected cells when cultures are shifted from 33 to 39 °C. This observation provides supporting evidence for the proposal that this recently discovered particle is an intermediate in the assembly pathway of Mengo virions.


2005 ◽  
Vol 79 (4) ◽  
pp. 2366-2374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pilar Perez-Romero ◽  
Ryan E. Tyler ◽  
Johanna R. Abend ◽  
Monica Dus ◽  
Michael J. Imperiale

ABSTRACT We previously showed that the adenovirus IVa2 and L1 52/55-kDa proteins interact in infected cells and the IVa2 protein is part of two virus-specific complexes (x and y) formed in vitro with repeated elements of the packaging sequence called the A1-A2 repeats. Here we demonstrate that both the IVa2 and L1 52/55-kDa proteins bind in vivo to the packaging sequence and that each protein-DNA interaction is independent of the other. There is a strong and direct interaction of the IVa2 protein with DNA in vitro. This interaction is observed when probes containing the A1-A2 or A4-A5 repeats are used, but it is not found by using an A5-A6 probe. Furthermore, we show that complex x is likely a heterodimer of IVa2 and an unknown viral protein, while complex y is a monomer or multimer of IVa2. No in vitro interaction of purified L1 52/55-kDa protein with the packaging sequence was found, suggesting that the L1 52/55-kDa protein-DNA interaction may be mediated by an intermediate protein. Results support roles for both the L1 52/55-kDa and IVa2 proteins in DNA encapsidation.


1980 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 575-582
Author(s):  
Robert E. Baughn ◽  
Kenneth S. K. Tung ◽  
Daniel M. Musher

The in vivo and in vitro immunoglobulin G plaque-forming cell responses to sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) are nearly obliterated during disseminated syphilitic infection (3 to 8 weeks post-intravenous injection) in rabbits. Splenic and lymph node cells obtained from infected rabbits during this time period were capable of suppressing the normal in vitro responses of uninfected, SRBC-primed cells. Cell-free washings of cells from infected animals were also suppressive. This finding coupled with the fact that treatment of infected cells with proteolytic enzymes abrogated the suppressive effect constitute arguments against involvement of a specific suppressor cell population. The incidence of elevated levels of circulating immune complexes in the sera of rabbits with disseminated disease was also significantly different from that of uninfected controls or infected rabbits before the onset or after the regression of lesions. When added to cultures of lymphocytes from uninfected, SRBC-sensitized rabbits, sera containing complexes caused dose-related suppression of the in vitro immunoglobulin responses. Unlike immune complexes, no correlation was found between the presence of mucopolysaccharide materials and the stage of infection or the ability of serum to suppress the immunoglobulin responses to SRBC.


2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 221-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Souto ◽  
José G. Olveira ◽  
Esther García-Rosado ◽  
Carlos P. Dopazo ◽  
Isabel Bandín

2004 ◽  
Vol 78 (16) ◽  
pp. 8732-8745 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy L. Odegard ◽  
Kartik Chandran ◽  
Xing Zhang ◽  
John S. L. Parker ◽  
Timothy S. Baker ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Several nonenveloped animal viruses possess an autolytic capsid protein that is cleaved as a maturation step during assembly to yield infectious virions. The 76-kDa major outer capsid protein μ1 of mammalian orthoreoviruses (reoviruses) is also thought to be autocatalytically cleaved, yielding the virion-associated fragments μ1N (4 kDa; myristoylated) and μ1C (72 kDa). In this study, we found that μ1 cleavage to yield μ1N and μ1C was not required for outer capsid assembly but contributed greatly to the infectivity of the assembled particles. Recoated particles containing mutant, cleavage-defective μ1 (asparagine → alanine substitution at amino acid 42) were competent for attachment; processing by exogenous proteases; structural changes in the outer capsid, including μ1 conformational change and σ1 release; and transcriptase activation but failed to mediate membrane permeabilization either in vitro (no hemolysis) or in vivo (no coentry of the ribonucleotoxin α-sarcin). In addition, after these particles were allowed to enter cells, the δ region of μ1 continued to colocalize with viral core proteins in punctate structures, indicating that both elements remained bound together in particles and/or trapped within the same subcellular compartments, consistent with a defect in membrane penetration. If membrane penetration activity was supplied in trans by a coinfecting genome-deficient particle, the recoated particles with cleavage-defective μ1 displayed much higher levels of infectivity. These findings led us to propose a new uncoating intermediate, at which particles are trapped in the absence of μ1N/μ1C cleavage. We additionally showed that this cleavage allowed the myristoylated, N-terminal μ1N fragment to be released from reovirus particles during entry-related uncoating, analogous to the myristoylated, N-terminal VP4 fragment of picornavirus capsid proteins. The results thus suggest that hydrophobic peptide release following capsid protein autocleavage is part of a general mechanism of membrane penetration shared by several diverse nonenveloped animal viruses.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ugur M. Ayturk ◽  
Joseph P. Scollan ◽  
Alexander Vesprey ◽  
Christina M. Jacobsen ◽  
Paola Divieti Pajevic ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTSingle cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) is emerging as a powerful technology to examine transcriptomes of individual cells. We determined whether scRNA-seq could be used to detect the effect of environmental and pharmacologic perturbations on osteoblasts. We began with a commonly used in vitro system in which freshly isolated neonatal mouse calvarial cells are expanded and induced to produce a mineralized matrix. We used scRNA-seq to compare the relative cell type abundances and the transcriptomes of freshly isolated cells to those that had been cultured for 12 days in vitro. We observed that the percentage of macrophage-like cells increased from 6% in freshly isolated calvarial cells to 34% in cultured cells. We also found that Bglap transcripts were abundant in freshly isolated osteoblasts but nearly undetectable in the cultured calvarial cells. Thus, scRNA-seq revealed significant differences between heterogeneity of cells in vivo and in vitro. We next performed scRNA-seq on freshly recovered long bone endocortical cells from mice that received either vehicle or Sclerostin-neutralizing antibody for 1 week. Bone anabolism-associated transcripts were also not significantly increased in immature and mature osteoblasts recovered from Sclerostin-neutralizing antibody treated mice; this is likely a consequence of being underpowered to detect modest changes in gene expression, since only 7% of the sequenced endocortical cells were osteoblasts, and a limited portion of their transcriptomes were sampled. We conclude that scRNA-seq can detect changes in cell abundance, identity, and gene expression in skeletally derived cells. In order to detect modest changes in osteoblast gene expression at the single cell level in the appendicular skeleton, larger numbers of osteoblasts from endocortical bone are required.


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