Localization of neurovirulence determinant for rats on the S1 subunit of murine coronavirus JHMV

Clinical and molecular aspects of veterinary coronaviruses

Coronaviruses are a large group of RNA viruses that infect a wide range of animal species. The replication strategy of coronaviruses involves recombination and mutation events that lead to the possibility of cross-species transmission. The high plasticity of the viral receptor due to a continuous modification of the host species habitat may be the cause of cross-species transmission that can turn into a threat to other species including the human population. The successive emergence of highly pathogenic coronaviruses such as the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003, the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus in 2012, and the recent SARS-CoV-2 has incentivized a number of studies on the molecular basis of the coronavirus and its pathogenesis. The high degree of interrelatedness between humans and wild and domestic animals and the modification of animal habitats by human urbanization, has favored new viral spreads. Hence, knowledge on the main clinical signs of coronavirus infection in the different hosts and the distinctive molecular characteristics of each coronavirus is essential to prevent the emergence of new coronavirus diseases. The coronavirus infections routinely studied in veterinary medicine must be properly recognized and diagnosed not only to prevent animal disease but also to promote public health.

Neurotropic Coronavirus Infections

Neurotropic strains of the mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) cause a range of diseases in infected mice ranging from mild encephalitis with clearance of the virus followed by demyelination to rapidly fatal encephalitis. This chapter discusses the structure, life cycle, transmission, and pathology of neurotropic coronaviruses, as well as the immune response to coronavirus infection. Mice infected with neurotropic strains of MHV have provided useful systems in which to study processes of virus- and immune-mediated demyelination and virus clearance and/or persistence in the CNS, and the mechanisms of virus evasion of the immune system.

Bovine-like coronaviruses isolated from four species of captive wild ruminants are homologous to bovine coronaviruses, based on complete genomic sequences

We sequenced and analyzed the full-length genomes of four coronaviruses (CoVs), each from a distinct wild-ruminant species in Ohio: sambar deer (Cervus unicolor), a waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus), a sable antelope (Hippotragus niger), and a white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). The fecal samples from the sambar deer, the waterbuck, and the white-tailed deer were collected during winter dysentery outbreaks and sporadic diarrhea cases in 1993 and 1994 (H. Tsunemitsu, Z. R. el-Kanawati, D. R. Smith, H. H. Reed, and L. J. Saif, J. Clin. Microbiol. 33:3264-3269, 1995). A fecal sample from a sable antelope was collected in 2003 from an Ohio wild-animal habitat during the same outbreak when a bovine-like CoV from a giraffe (GiCoV) was isolated (M. Hasoksuz, K. Alekseev, A. Vlasova, X. Zhang, D. Spiro, R. Halpin, S. Wang, E. Ghedin, and L. J. Saif, J. Virol. 81:4981-4990, 2007). For two of the CoVs (sambar deer and waterbuck), complete genomes from both the cell culture-adapted and gnotobiotic-calf-passaged strains were also sequenced and analyzed. Phylogenetically, wild-ruminant CoVs belong to group 2a CoVs, with the closest relatedness to recent bovine CoV (BCoV) strains. High nucleotide identities (99.4 to 99.6%) among the wild-ruminant strains and recent BCoV strains (BCoV-LUN and BCoV-ENT, isolated in 1998) further confirm the close relatedness. Comparative genetic analysis of CoVs of captive wild ruminants with BCoV strains suggests that no specific genomic markers are present that allow discrimination between the bovine strains and bovine-like CoVs from captive wild ruminants; furthermore, no specific genetic markers were identified that defined cell cultured or calf-passaged strains or the host origin of strains. The results of this study confirm prior reports of biologic and antigenic similarities between bovine and wild-ruminant CoVs and suggest that cattle may be reservoirs for CoVs that infect captive wild ruminants or vice versa and that these CoVs may represent host range variants of an ancestral CoV.

Coronavirus reverse genetics and development of vectors for gene expression

Knowledge of coronavirus replication, transcription, and virus-host interaction has been recently improved by engineering of coronavirus infectious cDNAs. With the transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) genome the efficient (>40 microg per 106 cells) and stable (>20 passages) expression of the foreign genes has been shown. Knowledge of the transcription mechanism in coronaviruses has been significantly increased, making possible the fine regulation of foreign gene expression. A new family of vectors based on single coronavirus genomes, in which essential genes have been deleted, has emerged including replication-competent, propagation-deficient vectors. Vector biosafety is being increased by relocating the RNA packaging signal to the position previously occupied by deleted essential genes, to prevent the rescue of fully competent viruses that might arise from recombination events with wild-type field coronaviruses. The large cloning capacity of coronaviruses (>5 kb) and the possibility of engineering the tissue and species tropism to target expression to different organs and animal species, including humans, has increased the potential of coronaviruses as vectors for vaccine development and, possibly, gene therapy.

S protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus mediates entry into hepatoma cell lines and is targeted by neutralizing antibodies in infected patients

The severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) causes severe pneumonia with a fatal outcome in approximately 10% of patients. SARS-CoV is not closely related to other coronaviruses but shares a similar genome organization. Entry of coronaviruses into target cells is mediated by the viral S protein. We functionally analyzed SARS-CoV S using pseudotyped lentiviral particles (pseudotypes). The SARS-CoV S protein was found to be expressed at the cell surface upon transient transfection. Coexpression of SARS-CoV S with human immunodeficiency virus-based reporter constructs yielded viruses that were infectious for a range of cell lines. Most notably, viral pseudotypes harboring SARS-CoV S infected hepatoma cell lines but not T- and B-cell lines. Infection of the hepatoma cell line Huh-7 was also observed with replication-competent SARS-CoV, indicating that hepatocytes might be targeted by SARS-CoV in vivo. Inhibition of vacuolar acidification impaired infection by SARS-CoV S-bearing pseudotypes, indicating that S-mediated entry requires low pH. Finally, infection by SARS-CoV S pseudotypes but not by vesicular stomatitis virus G pseudotypes was efficiently inhibited by a rabbit serum raised against SARS-CoV particles and by sera from SARS patients, demonstrating that SARS-CoV S is a target for neutralizing antibodies and that such antibodies are generated in SARS-CoV-infected patients. Our results show that viral pseudotyping can be employed for the analysis of SARS-CoV S function. Moreover, we provide evidence that SARS-CoV infection might not be limited to lung tissue and can be inhibited by the humoral immune response in infected patients.

The N-terminal domain of the murine coronavirus spike glycoprotein determines the CEACAM1 receptor specificity of the virus strain

Using isogenic recombinant murine coronaviruses expressing wild-type murine hepatitis virus strain 4 (MHV-4) or MHV-A59 spike glycoproteins or chimeric MHV-4/MHV-A59 spike glycoproteins, we have demonstrated the biological functionality of the N-terminus of the spike, encompassing the receptor binding domain (RBD). We have used two assays, one an in vitro liposome binding assay and the other a tissue culture replication assay. The liposome binding assay shows that interaction of the receptor with spikes on virions at 37 degrees C causes a conformational change that makes the virions hydrophobic so that they bind to liposomes (B. D. Zelus, J. H. Schickli, D. M. Blau, S. R. Weiss, and K. V. Holmes, J. Virol. 77: 830-840, 2003). Recombinant viruses with spikes containing the RBD of either MHV-A59 or MHV-4 readily associated with liposomes at 37 degrees C in the presence of soluble mCEACAM1(a), except for S(4)R, which expresses the entire wild-type MHV-4 spike and associated only inefficiently with liposomes following incubation with soluble mCEACAM1(a). In contrast, soluble mCEACAM1(b) allowed viruses with the MHV-A59 RBD to associate with liposomes more efficiently than did viruses with the MHV-4 RBD. In the second assay, which requires virus entry and replication, all recombinant viruses replicated efficiently in BHK cells expressing mCEACAM1(a). In BHK cells expressing mCEACAM1(b), only viruses expressing chimeric spikes with the MHV-A59 RBD could replicate, while replication of viruses expressing chimeric spikes with the MHV-4 RBD was undetectable. Despite having the MHV-4 RBD, S(4)R replicated in BHK cells expressing mCEACAM1(b); this is most probably due to spread via CEACAM1 receptor-independent cell-to-cell fusion, an activity displayed only by S(4)R among the recombinant viruses studied here. These data suggest that the RBD domain and the rest of the spike must coevolve to optimize function in viral entry and spread.

Communication between S1N330 and a region in S2 of murine coronavirus spike protein is important for virus entry into cells expressing CEACAM1b receptor

The soluble receptor-resistant (srr) mutants, srr7 and srr11, isolated from a murine coronavirus, mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) JHMV, have an amino acid mutation at positions 1114 (Leu to Phe) and 65 (Leu to His), respectively, in the spike (S) protein. These mutants failed to efficiently infect BHK cells expressing CEACAM1b (BHK-R2), due to their low entry into this cell line, although they infected cells expressing CEACAM1a (BHK-R1) in a manner similar to that of wild-type (wt) JHMV cl-2 (Matsuyama and Taguchi, Virology 273, 80-89, 2000). Following the repeated passage of these mutants through BHK-R2 cells, viruses were no longer isolated from srr11-infected cells, while two distinct mutants, srr7A and srr7B, were obtained from srr7-infected cells. Srr7A and srr7B grew 2 log10 higher than srr7 and induced fusion in BHK-R2 cells, being similar to wt virus. In addition to the amino acid change at position 1114 that stemmed from parental srr7, srr7A and srr7B had mutations around position 280, corresponding to the third region of the S1N330 receptor-binding site (S1N330-III) common to all MHV strains examined thus far. Srr7A and srr7B S proteins showed high fusogenicity in both BHK-R1 and BHK-R2 cells, like the wt virus, while srr7Aa and srr7Ba S proteins, which had mutations in S1N330-III but not at amino acid 1114, exhibited profoundly reduced fusion activity in these cell lines. These findings suggest that communication between S1N330-III and the amino acid at position 1114 is important for efficient fusion activity in BHK-R2 cells. S1N330-III is a possible region in the S1 involved in viral entry into cells.

Impaired entry of soluble receptor-resistant mutants of mouse hepatitis virus into cells expressing MHVR2 receptor

Mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) JHMV and its soluble receptor-resistant (srr) mutants, srr7, srr11, and srr18, grew and induced syncytia equally well in BHK-R1 cells expressing the MHVR1 receptor derived from MHV-susceptible BALB/c mice. In contrast, srr growth and syncytia formations were drastically reduced relative to wild-type (wt) virus in BHK-R2 cells expressing the MHVR2 receptor from MHV-resistant SJL mice. Infections by these srr mutants in BHK-R2 cells were 0.7 to 1.5 log10 less efficient than those of wt virus. BHK cells expressing both MHVR1 and MHVR2 supported srr replication to the same extent as did BHK-R1 cells, suggesting that inefficient infection by srr mutants in BHK-R2 cells resulted from the absence of the effective receptor MHVR1. Virus-receptor binding tests failed to demonstrate a difference between the abilities of wt and srr18 to bind MHVR2. The binding of srr7 and srr11 to both MHVR1 and MHVR2 was revealed lower by two- to fourfold relative to the wt binding. The fusion activity of srr S proteins as examined by the expression with recombinant vaccinia virus was apparently lower than that of the wt S protein in BHK-R2 cells, while there was not such a remarkable difference in BHK-R1 cells. This suggests that the most likely reason for inefficient infection by mutants in BHK-R2 is impaired virus entry into cells. These observations suggest that inefficient infections in BHK-R2 cells by srr mutants occur in the absence of a functional receptor MHVR1, which plays an important role in srr entry into cells.

Evolution of mouse hepatitis virus: detection and characterization of spike deletion variants during persistent infection

High-frequency RNA recombination has been proposed as an important mechanism for generating viral deletion variants of murine coronavirus. Indeed, a number of variants with deletions in the spike glycoprotein have been isolated from persistently infected animals. However, the significance of generating and potentially accumulating deletion variants in the persisting viral RNA population is unclear. To study this issue, we evaluated the evolution of spike variants by examining the population of spike RNA sequences detected in the brains and spinal cords of mice inoculated with coronavirus and sacrificed at 4, 42, or 100 days postinoculation. We focused on the S1 hypervariable region since previous investigators had shown that this region is subject to recombination and deletion. RNA isolated from the brains or spinal cords of infected mice was rescued by reverse transcription-PCR, and the amplified products were cloned and used in differential colony hybridizations to identify individual isolates with deletions. We found that 11 of 20 persistently infected mice harbored spike deletion variants (SDVs), indicating that deletions are common but not required for persistent infection. To determine if a specific type of SDV accumulated during persistence, we sequenced 106 of the deletion isolates. We identified 23 distinct patterns of SDVs, including 5 double-deletion variants. Furthermore, we found that each mouse harbored distinct variants in its central nervous system (CNS), suggesting that SDVs are generated during viral replication in the CNS. Interestingly, mice with the most severe and persisting neurological disease harbored the most prevalent and diverse quasispecies of SDVs. Overall, these findings illustrate the complexity of the population of persisting viral RNAs which may contribute to chronic disease.

Genetic control of anti-idiotypic vaccination against coronavirus infection

The idiotypic network can be experimentally altered to induce protective immune responses against microbial pathogens. Both internal image and noninternal image anti-idiotypic (anti-Id) antibodies have been shown to trigger antigen (Ag)-specific immune responses. Therefore, mechanisms of anti-Id vaccination appear to go beyond structural mimicry of Ag, but remain undefined. Using the neurotropic murine coronavirus animal model, we have previously shown that a polyclonal noninternal image anti-Id (Ab2) could vaccinate BALB/c mice. To characterize its mode of action, we have examined the immune modulating capability of this Ab2 in vivo in strains of mice with different H-2 haplotypes. Even though only internal image anti-Id are expected to induce non-genetically restricted immunity, this noninternal image Ab2 induced protective immunity in four of eight genetically different strains of mice susceptible to coronavirus infection. These were BALB/c (H-2d), DBA/2 (H-2d), DBA/1 (H-2q), and SWR (H-2q) mice. Protection was generally correlated with the induction of specific antiviral Ab (Ab3) that showed biological properties, such as virus neutralization in vitro, similar to the initial Ab1. To evaluate the genetic implication of the H-2 haplotypes in protection, congenic mice were also tested. Vaccination profiles suggest that cooperation between background gene(s) of the BALB/c mouse with H-2d and H-2q loci is necessary for an optimal protective immune response, although the main genetic element(s) regulating the antiviral response to Ab2 inoculation appeared to be located outside the major histocompatibility complex. These results are consistent with the ability of Ab2 to induce protective antiviral antibodies in genetically different animals by biological mimicry.

CD8+ T-cell epitopes within the surface glycoprotein of a neurotropic coronavirus and correlation with pathogenicity

CD8+ T cells with cytotoxic activity against the surface glycoprotein (S) of mouse hepatitis virus, strain JHM, have been identified in the central nervous system (CNS) of both acutely and chronically infected C57BL/6 mice. In this report, two specific epitopes recognized by these CNS-derived cells were identified, using a panel of peptides chosen because they conformed to the allele-specific binding motif for MHC class I H-2Kb and H-2Db. The active peptides encompassed residues 510 to 518 (CSLWNGPHL, H-2Db) and 598 to 605 (RCQIFANI, H-2Kb). Both epitopes are located within the region of the S protein previously shown to be prone to deletion after passage in animals. These deleted strains are generally less neurovirulent than the wild-type virus but still are able to cause demyelination. Since C57BL/6 mice become persistently infected more commonly than many other strains of mice, these data are consistent with a role for CD8+ T-cell escape mutants in the pathogenesis of the demyelinating disease. This is the first report of CD8+ T-cell epitope localization within the S protein, the protein most strongly implicated thus far in pathogenesis in the host.

The S2 subunit of the murine coronavirus spike protein is not involved in receptor binding

The receptor-binding capacity of the S2 subunit of the murine coronavirus S protein was examined by testing the inhibition of virus-receptor binding. Sp-4 virus and S1N(330), which consists of the N-terminal 330 amino acids of the S1 protein, both of which exhibited receptor-binding capacity, were able to prevent the binding of cl-2 virus to the receptor, while the mutant protein S1N(330)-159, which failed to bind to the receptor protein, and S2TM-, which lacks the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains normally existing in the S2, were unable to prevent the binding of cl-2. By using cultured DBT cells, it was revealed that the infection of cells by cl-2 virus was significantly inhibited by S1N(330) but not by S2TM-. These results indicate that the S2 protein is not involved in the receptor binding of murine coronaviruses.