Monoclonal antibodies to three strains of hantaviruses: Hantaan, R22, and Puumala

Seroprevalence, cross antigenicity and circulation sphere of bat-borne hantaviruses revealed by serological and antigenic analyses

Bats are newly identified reservoirs of hantaviruses (HVs) among which very divergent HVs have been discovered in recent years. However, their significance for public health remains unclear since their seroprevalence as well as antigenic relationship with human-infecting HVs have not been investigated. In the present study archived tissues of 1,419 bats of 22 species from 6 families collected in 5 south and southwest provinces in China were screened by pan-HV RT-PCR following viral metagenomic analysis. As a result nine HVs have been identified in two bat species in two provinces and phylogenetically classified into two species, Laibin virus (LAIV, ICTV approved species, 1 strain) and Xuan son virus (XSV, proposed species, 8 strains). Additionally, 709 serum samples of these bats were also analyzed by ELISA to investigate the seroprevalence and cross-reactivity between different HVs using expressed recombinant nucleocapsid proteins (rNPs) of LAIV, XSV and Seoul virus (SEOV). The cross-reactivity of some bat sera were further confirmed by western blot (WB) using three rNPs followed by fluorescent antibody virus neutralization test (FAVNT) against live SEOV. Results showed that the total HV seropositive rate of bat sera was 18.5% (131/709) with many cross reacting with two or all three rNPs and several able to neutralize SEOV. WB analysis using the three rNPs and their specific hyperimmune sera demonstrated cross-reactivity between XSV/SEOV and LAIV/XSV, but not LAIV/SEOV, indicating that XSV is antigenically closer to human-infecting HVs. In addition a study of the distribution of the viruses identified an area covering the region between Chinese Guangxi and North Vietnam, in which XSV and LAIV circulate within different bat colonies with a high seroprevalence. A circulation sphere of bat-borne HVs has therefore been proposed.

Some HVs are life-threatening pathogens predominantly carried and transmitted by rodents. In recent years bat-borne HVs have been identified in a broad range of bat species. To understand their significance to public health the present study conducted extensive investigations on genetic diversity, seroprevalence, distribution and cross antigenicity of bat-borne HVs in south and southwest China. The results provide the first profiling of cross-reactivity between bat-borne and human-infecting HVs, demonstrating that some bat sera can neutralize SEOV in cell culture. They also revealed that divergent bat-borne HVs co-exist and are widely distributed in Chinese Guangxi/Yunnan as well as in north Vietnam, resulting in identification of an area between China and Vietnam in which natural circulation of bat-borne HVs is maintained. Given the existence of bat-borne HVs genetically and antigenically close to human-infecting HVs, the need for extensive future studies is emphasized in order to assess the potential risk of these viruses to public health.

Recent advances in hantavirus molecular biology and disease

Hantaviruses are emerging zoonotic pathogens that belong to the Bunyaviridae family. They have been classified as category A pathogens by CDC (centers for disease control and prevention). Hantaviruses pose a serious threat to human health because their infection causes two highly fatal diseases, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS). These pathogens are transmitted to humans through aerosolized excreta of their infected rodent hosts. Hantaviruses have a tripartite-segmented negative-sense RNA genome. The three genomic RNA segments, S, M, and L, encode a nucleocapsid protein (N), a precursor glycoprotein that is processed into two envelope glycoproteins (Gn and Gc) and the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), respectively. N protein is the major structural component of the virus, its main function is to protect and encapsidate the three genomic RNAs forming three viral ribonucleocapsids. Recent studies have proposed that N in conjunction with RdRp plays important roles in the transcription and replication of viral genome. In addition, N preferentially facilitates the translation of viral mRNA in cells. Glycoproteins, Gn and Gc, play major roles in viral attachment and entry to the host cells, virulence, and assembly and packaging of new virions in infected cells. RdRp functions as RNA replicase and transcriptase to replicate and transcribe the viral RNA and is also thought to have endonuclease activity. Currently, no antiviral therapy or vaccine is available for the treatment of hantavirus-associated diseases. Understanding the molecular details of hantavirus life cycle will help in the identification of targets for antiviral therapeutics and in the design of potential antiviral drug for the treatment of HFRS and HCPS. Due to the alarming fatality of hantavirus diseases, development of an effective vaccine against hantaviruses is a necessity.

Development of reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification assays to detect Hantaan virus and Seoul virus

We developed two assays based on one-step reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) to identify Hantaan virus (HTNV) and Seoul virus (SEOV), members of the Hantavirus genus that cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). Our results showed that these assays can be conducted within 30min under isothermal conditions. The detection limit for HTNV was around 10 copies per reaction, similar to detection levels for quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assays. The detection limit for SEOV was 100 copies per reaction, a sensitivity that was 10-fold lower than that for qRT-PCR assays but 10-fold higher than that for RT-PCR assays. The method we developed was specific for both HTNV and SEOV without any cross-reaction with other pathogens. We conclude that RT-LAMP assays could be useful for the rapid and direct detection of HTNV and SEOV clinically, and for the epidemiological investigation of HFRS.

Novel camelid antibody fragments targeting recombinant nucleoprotein of Araucaria hantavirus: a prototype for an early diagnosis of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome

In addition to conventional antibodies, camelids produce immunoglobulins G composed exclusively of heavy chains in which the antigen binding site is formed only by single domains called VHH. Their particular characteristics make VHHs interesting tools for drug-delivery, passive immunotherapy and high-throughput diagnosis. Hantaviruses are rodent-borne viruses of the Bunyaviridae family. Two clinical forms of the infection are known. Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS) is present in the Old World, while Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) is found on the American continent. There is no specific treatment for HPS and its diagnosis is carried out by molecular or serological techniques, using mainly monoclonal antibodies or hantavirus nucleoprotein (N) to detect IgM and IgG in patient serum. This study proposes the use of camelid VHHs to develop alternative methods for diagnosing and confirming HPS. Phage display technology was employed to obtain VHHs. After immunizing one Lama glama against the recombinant N protein (prNΔ₈₅) of a Brazilian hantavirus strain, VHH regions were isolated to construct an immune library. VHHs were displayed fused to the M13KO7 phage coat protein III and the selection steps were performed on immobilized prNΔ₈₅. After selection, eighty clones recognized specifically the N protein. These were sequenced, grouped based mainly on the CDRs, and five clones were analyzed by western blot (WB), surface plasmon resonance (SPR) device, and ELISA. Besides the ability to recognize prNΔ₈₅ by WB, all selected clones showed affinity constants in the nanomolar range. Additionaly, the clone KC329705 is able to detect prNΔ₈₅ in solution, as well as the native viral antigen. Findings support the hypothesis that selected VHHs could be a powerful tool in the development of rapid and accurate HPS diagnostic assays, which are essential to provide supportive care to patients and reduce the high mortality rate associated with hantavirus infections.

Antigenic properties of N protein of hantavirus

Hantavirus causes two important rodent-borne viral zoonoses, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in Eurasia and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in North and South America. Twenty-four species that represent sero- and genotypes have been registered within the genus Hantavirus by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV). Among the viral proteins, nucleocapsid (N) protein possesses an immunodominant antigen. The antigenicitiy of N protein is conserved compared with that of envelope glycoproteins. Therefore, N protein has been used for serological diagnoses and seroepidemiological studies. An understanding of the antigenic properties of N protein is important for the interpretation of results from serological tests using N antigen. N protein consists of about 430 amino acids and possesses various epitopes. The N-terminal quarter of N protein bears linear and immunodominant epitopes. However, a serotype-specific and multimerization-dependent antigenic site was found in the C-terminal half of N protein. In this paper, the structure, function, and antigenicity of N protein are reviewed.

The use of chimeric virus-like particles harbouring a segment of hantavirus Gc glycoprotein to generate a broadly-reactive hantavirus-specific monoclonal antibody

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against viral glycoproteins have important diagnostic and therapeutic applications. In most cases, the MAbs specific to viral glycoproteins are raised against intact virus particles. The biosynthesis of viral glycoproteins in heterologous expression systems such as bacteria, yeast, insect or mammalian cells is often problematic due to their low expression level, improper folding and limited stability. To generate MAbs against hantavirus glycoprotein Gc, we have used initially a recombinant yeast-expressed full-length Puumala virus (PUUV) Gc protein. However, this approach was unsuccessful. As an alternative recombinant antigen, chimeric virus-like particles (VLPs) harboring a segment of PUUV Gc glycoprotein were generated in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. A 99 amino acid (aa)-long segment of Gc protein was inserted into the major capsid protein VP1 of hamster polyomavirus at previously defined positions: either site #1 (aa 80-89) or site #4 (aa 280-289). The chimeric proteins were found to self-assemble to VLPs as evidenced by electron microscopy. Chimeric VLPs induced an efficient insert-specific antibody response in immunized mice. Monoclonal antibody (clone #10B8) of IgG isotype specific to hantavirus Gc glycoprotein was generated. It recognized recombinant full-length PUUV Gc glycoprotein both in ELISA and Western blot assay and reacted specifically with hantavirus-infected cells in immunofluorescence assay. Epitope mapping studies revealed the N-terminally located epitope highly conserved among different hantavirus strains. In conclusion, our approach to use chimeric VLPs was proven useful for the generation of virus-reactive MAb against hantavirus Gc glycoprotein. The generated broadly-reactive MAb #10B8 might be useful for various diagnostic applications.

Development of a serotyping enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay system based on recombinant truncated hantavirus nucleocapsid proteins for New World hantavirus infection

New World hantaviruses were divided into five groups based on the amino acid sequence variability of the internal variable region (around 230-302 amino acids) of hantavirus nucleocapsid protein (NP). Sin Nombre virus (SNV), Andes virus, Black Creek Canal virus (BCCV), Carrizal virus (CARV) and Cano Delgadito virus belong to groups 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, respectively. Patient and rodent sera were serotyped successfully by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with recombinant truncated NP lacking 99 N-terminal amino acids (trNP100) of SNV, CARV and BCCV. The trNP100 of BCCV showed lower reactivity to heterologous sera. In contrast, whole recombinant NP antigens detected both homologous and heterologous antibodies equally. The results together with results of a previous study suggest that trNP100 can distinguish infections among viruses in groups 1, 2, 3 and 4 of New World hantaviruses. The serotyping ELISA with trNP100 is useful for epidemiological surveillance in humans and rodents.

Isolation and characterization of hantaviruses in Far East Russia and etiology of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in the region

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is a serious public health issue in Far East Russia. Two different hantaviruses were isolated from rodents captured in the Khabarovsk region: Amur virus (AMRV; Khekhtsir/AP209/2005 strain from Apodemus peninsulae) and Hantaan virus (HTNV; Galkino/AA57/2002 strain from A. agrarius). Genetic analysis of the new isolates revealed that the M and L segments were apparently different between AMRV and HTNV, but S segments of the two viruses were closer. The antigenicities of AMRV, HTNV, and Seoul virus (SEOV) were differentiated by cross-neutralization. Serological differential diagnoses of 67 HFRS patients in the Prymorsky and Khabarovsk regions of Far East Russia were conducted using a neutralization test. The results revealed that the major cause of HFRS varied with location in Far East Russia: SEOV for Vladivostok city in the Prymorsky region, AMRV in rural areas of the Primorsky region, and probably HTNV for the Khabarovsk region.

Characterization of monoclonal antibodies against hantavirus nucleocapsid protein and their use for immunohistochemistry on rodent and human samples

Monoclonal antibodies are important tools for various applications in hantavirus diagnostics. Recently, we generated Puumala virus (PUUV)-reactive monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) by immunisation of mice with chimeric polyomavirus-derived virus-like particles (VLPs) harbouring the 120-amino-acid-long amino-terminal region of the PUUV nucleocapsid (N) protein. Here, we describe the generation of two mAbs by co-immunisation of mice with hexahistidine-tagged full-length N proteins of Sin Nombre virus (SNV) and Andes virus (ANDV), their characterization by different immunoassays and comparison with the previously generated mAbs raised against a segment of PUUV N protein inserted into VLPs. All of the mAbs reacted strongly in ELISA and western blot tests with the antigens used for immunization and cross-reacted to varying extents with N proteins of other hantaviruses. All mAbs raised against a segment of the PUUV N protein presented on chimeric VLPs and both mAbs raised against the full-length AND/SNV N protein reacted with Vero cells infected with different hantaviruses. The reactivity of mAbs with native viral nucleocapsids was also confirmed by their reactivity in immunohistochemistry assays with kidney tissue specimens from experimentally SNV-infected rodents and human heart tissue specimens from hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome patients. Therefore, the described mAbs represent useful tools for the immunodetection of hantavirus infection.

Development of a lentiviral vector system to study the role of the Andes virus glycoproteins

To infect target cells, enveloped viruses use their virion surface proteins to direct cell attachment and subsequent entry via virus-cell membrane fusion. How hantaviruses enter cells has been largely unexplored. To study early steps of Andes virus (ANDV) cell infection, a lentiviral vector system was developed based on a Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) vector pseudotyped with the ANDV-Gn/Gc envelope glycoproteins. The incorporation of Gn and Gc onto SIV-derived vector particles was assessed using newly generated monoclonal antibodies against ANDV glycoproteins. In addition, sera of ANDV infected humans were able to block cell entry of the SIV vector pseudotyped with ANDV glycoproteins, suggesting that their antigenic conformation is similar to that in the native virus. The use of such SIV vector pseudotyped with ANDV-Gn/Gc glycoproteins should facilitate studies on ANDV cell entry. Along this line, it was found that depletion of cholesterol from target cells strongly diminished cell infection, indicating a possible role of lipid rafts in ANDV cell entry. The Gn/Gc pseudotyped SIV vector has several advantages, notably high titer vector production and easy quantification of cell infection by monitoring GFP reporter gene expression by flow cytometry. Such pseudotyped SIV vectors can be used to identify functional domains in the Gn/Gc glycoproteins and to screen for potential hantavirus cell entry inhibitors.

Truncated hantavirus nucleocapsid proteins for serotyping Sin Nombre, Andes, and Laguna Negra hantavirus infections in humans and rodents

Sin Nombre virus (SNV), Andes virus (ANDV), and Laguna Negra virus (LANV) have been known as the dominant causative agents of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). ANDV and LANV, with different patterns of pathogenicity, exist in a sympatric relationship. Moreover, there is documented evidence of person-to-person transmission of ANDV. Therefore, it is important in clinical medicine and epidemiology to know the serotype of a hantavirus causing infection. Truncated SNV, ANDV, and LANV recombinant nucleocapsid proteins (trNs) missing 99 N-terminal amino acids (trN100) were expressed using a baculovirus system, and their applicability for serotyping SNV, ANDV, and LANV infection by the use of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) was examined. HPS patient sera and natural-reservoir rodent sera infected with SNV, ANDV, and LANV showed the highest optical density (OD) values for homologous trN100 antigens. Since even patient sera with lower IgM and IgG antibody titers were serotyped, the trN100s are therefore considered useful for serotyping with early-acute-phase sera. In contrast, assays testing whole recombinant nucleocapsid protein antigens of SNV, ANDV, and LANV expressed in Escherichia coli detected homologous and heterologous antibodies equally. These results indicated that a screening ELISA using an E. coli-expressed antigen followed by a serotyping ELISA using trN100s is useful for epidemiological surveillance in regions where two or more hantavirus species cocirculate.

Characterization of cross-reactive and serotype-specific epitopes on the nucleocapsid proteins of hantaviruses

The hantavirus nucleocapsid (N) protein fulfills several key roles in virus replication and assembly and is the major antigen in humoral immune responses in humans and mice. Here we report on epitopes involved in serotype-specific and cross-reactive recognition of the N proteins of hantaviruses using monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the N proteins of Andes virus (ANDV) and Sin Nombre virus (SNV). The mAbs define at least twelve different epitopic patterns which span eight sequences, including amino acids 17-59, 66-78, 79-91, 157-169, 222-234, 244-263, 274-286 and 326-338 on the SNV and ANDV N proteins. Studies on the cross-reactivity of these mAbs with different hantavirus N proteins indicated that epitopes located within amino acids 244-286 are related to serotype specificity. We analyzed further the location of epitopes with available three-dimensional structure information including the N-terminal coiled-coil and derived exposed and hidden residues of these epitopes. The generated recombinant N proteins and the characterized mAbs are functional tools being now available for hantavirus diagnostics and replication studies.

A soluble and heat-resistant form of hantavirus nucleocapsid protein for the serodiagnosis of HFRS

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is a rodent-borne viral zoonosis characterized by fever, hemorrhagic manifestations, and renal disorder. The causative agent of HFRS has been identified as a hantavirus. Hantavirus nucleocapsid proteins have recently been shown to be immunodominant antigens in HFRS, inducing an early and long-lasting immune response, and their amino termini are sensitive tools for the detection of specific antibodies in HFRS patient sera. Previous work has demonstrated that the introduction of the acidic tail of alpha-synuclein (ATS) into heat-labile proteins protects them from heat-induced aggregation. In this study, the ATS peptide was introduced into the N-terminal antigenic portion of the nucleocapsid proteins (amino acid residues 1-70) of the Hantaan virus (HTNV-delta N) and Seoul virus (SEOV-delta N). The recombinant ATS-HTNV-delta N and ATS-SEOV-delta N fusion proteins were heat-resistant, and the proteins purified by heat treatment were immunoreactive to sera from patients with HFRS. Compared with sera from patients with leptospirosis and scrub typhus, sera from patients with HFRS showed much higher reactivity in ATS-HTNV-delta N- or ATS-SEOV-delta N-based IgG ELISAs. Immunoblotting analysis revealed that only sera from patients with HFRS specifically recognized the ATS-HTNV-delta N and ATS-SEOV-delta N, indicating that the ATS-HTNV-delta N and ATS-SEOV-delta N were highly purified species without any other immunoreactive proteins as contaminants. These data demonstrate that the ATS-HTNV-delta N and ATS-SEOV-delta N fusion proteins offer a safe and inexpensive source of pure and specific antigen for large-scale diagnosis and seroepidemiological studies of HFRS, and that ATS-fusion technology can also be utilized to solubilize other antigens that could be used for large-scale diagnosis and seroepidemiological studies of other diseases.

Characterization of truncated hantavirus nucleocapsid proteins and their application for serotyping

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is a fulminant infectious disease characterized by fever, hemorrhage, renal impairment, and thrombocytopenia. Hantaviruses associated with this belong to different serotypes: Hantaan (HTN), Seoul (SEO), Dobrava/Belgrade (DOB), and Puumala (PUU). The first two, HTN and SEO, are endemic in China. To investigate the epidemiology of HFRS and virus transmission in China, we constructed prokaryotic plasmids encoding truncated recombinant HTN and SEO nucleocapsid proteins (NPs), which lacked 154 amino acid (aa), 99 aa, or 49 aa in the N-terminal region, respectively. After expression, the truncated rNPs were tested as serotyping antigens, particularly for use in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In addition, 68 acute and 52 convalescent sera were collected from HFRS patients from Harbin, Lantian, and Kaifeng regions in China in 2004, which had hantavirus specific antibodies by IFA. A neutralization test was used to differentiate these, which showed that 73 were due to HTN infection, 33 to SEO infection, and 14 undetermined. By ELISA, the truncated rNPs, that lacked 99 (rNP100) or 49 (rNP50) N-terminal amino acids of the NPs of HTN and SEO, were able to differentiate HTNV and SEOV-specific immune sera, but the rNP155 could not. Particularly, the ELISAs based on the rNP50s had a result comparable to PRNT. Thus, the rNP50 is recommended as efficient serotyping antigen for hantavirus infection diagnosis by ELISA.

Identification and analysis for cross-reactivity among hantaviruses of H-2b-restricted cytotoxic T-lymphocyte epitopes in Sin Nombre virus nucleocapsid protein

Sin Nombre virus (SNV) causes hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), with a high rate of mortality in humans who are infected by the transmission of virus from the natural rodent host. In humans, cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) specific for SNV appear to play an important role in the pathogenicity of HPS. There is a correlation between the frequencies of SNV-specific CTLs and the severity of HPS disease. In order to create a mouse model to study the role of SNV-specific T cells in vivo, T cell responses to SNV nucleocapsid (N) protein in B6.PL Thy1(a)/Cy mice (H-2(b)) immunized with plasmid DNA or recombinant vaccinia virus expressing SNV N protein were examined. Four peptides, NC94-101, NC175-189, NC217-231 and NC331-345, were recognized by CD8(+) T cells in CTL and ELISPOT assays in SNV N-immunized mice. Interestingly, two of these epitopes are located in the central region of the SNV N protein, where several human CD8(+) T-cell epitopes have been defined in Puumala virus and SNV. CTL lines specific for these four epitopes were cross-reactive to corresponding Puumala virus peptides, but only one of them was cross-reactive to Hantaan virus peptides. These results will enable the analysis of the roles of CTL in immunopathology of HPS in experimental mouse models of HPS.

Genetic and antigenic characterization of the Amur virus associated with hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome

The genetic and antigenic characteristics of the Amur (AMR) and Far East (FE) virus lineages, which are both within the genus Hantavirus, were studied. Representative viruses, H5 and B78 for AMR and Bao 14 for FE, were used. The entire small (S) and medium (M) segments, except for the 3'- and 5'-ends, were sequenced. The deduced amino acid sequences of AMR had 96.7 and 92.0-92.2% identities with the Hantaan (HTN) virus in the S and M segments, respectively. The amino acid sequences of FE had 99.1 and 97.9% identities in the S and M segments, respectively. The three viral strains and HTN virus had similar binding patterns to a panel of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs), except that one MAb did not bind AMR. However, sera from Apodemus peninsulae, naturally infected with AMR virus, neutralized homologous viruses at 1:160 to 1:320 dilutions and HTN at 1:20 to 1:40 dilutions. The anti-AMR serum neutralized homologous viruses at a 1:80 dilution and HTN at a 1:40 dilution. The anti-HTN serum did not neutralize AMR (<1:40 dilution), although it had a high neutralizing titer (1:320) against the homologous virus. Therefore, we suggest that AMR virus may constitute a distinct serotype within the genus Hantavirus.

Active and passive vaccination against hantavirus pulmonary syndrome with Andes virus M genome segment-based DNA vaccine

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a rapidly progressing human disease with one of the highest case fatality rates (30 to 50%) of any acute viral disease known. There are no vaccines, effective antiviral drugs, or immunologics to prevent or treat HPS. In an attempt to develop HPS medical countermeasures, we constructed an expression plasmid, pWRG/AND-M, that contains the full-length M genome segment of Andes virus (ANDV), a South American hantavirus. Transfection experiments in cell culture indicated that both the G1 and G2 glycoproteins are expressed from pWRG/AND-M. Rhesus macaques vaccinated by gene gun with pWRG/AND-M developed remarkably high levels of neutralizing antibodies that not only neutralized ANDV but also cross-neutralized other HPS-associated hantaviruses, including Sin Nombre virus. To determine if the antibodies elicited in the monkeys could confer protection, we performed a series of passive-transfer experiments using a recently described lethal HPS animal model (i.e., adult Syrian hamsters develop HPS and die within 10 to 15 days after challenge with ANDV). When injected into hamsters 1 day before challenge, sera from the vaccinated monkeys either provided sterile protection or delayed the onset of HPS and death. When injected on day 4 or 5 after challenge, the monkey sera protected 100% of the hamsters from lethal disease. These data provide a proof of concept for a gene-based HPS vaccine and also demonstrate the potential value of a postexposure immunoprophylactic to treat individuals after exposure, or potential exposure, to these highly lethal hantaviruses.

Cassette vectors for conversion of Fab fragments into full-length human IgG1 monoclonal antibodies by expression in stably transformed insect cells

Phage display technology allows for the production and rapid selection of antigen-specific, Fab antibody fragments. For purposes of immune therapy, though, complete antibodies that retain the Fc domain are often required. In this regard, we designed cassette vectors for converting human Fab fragments selected from combinatorial phage display libraries into full-length IgG(1) monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). Two expression vectors, pIEI-Light and pIEI-Heavy, were engineered to contain respective light- and heavy-chain human signal sequences downstream of the baculovirus immediate early gene promoter, IEI. Vector pIEI-Heavy also contains the coding region for each of the human IgG(1) constant domains. To generate complete antibody genes, the cassette vectors possess convenient restriction enzyme sites for rapid in-frame cloning of coding regions for full-length light chains in pIEI-Light and for the heavy-chain variable domains in pIEI-Heavy of Fab fragments. Using these constructs and a method that allows for stable transformation of insect cells, complete light- and heavy-chain genes can be inserted into the insect cell genome and subsequently expressed under the control of the baculovirus IEI promoter. This cassette vector system was used to generate stably transformed insect cells that continuously secreted functional full-length, IgG(1) MAbs. The expressed antibodies exhibited light and heavy chains of the appropriate molecular sizes and retained the ability to bind antigen. We conclude that our cassette vectors could serve as valuable tools for generating human IgG(1) antibodies.

Hantavirus immunology

Two clinical syndromes are associated with hantavirus infection in humans: hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). Autopsy findings typically reveal a common feature of increased permeability in microvascular beds, suggesting vascular endothelium is a prime target for virus infection. Endothelial cells are susceptible to hantavirus infection; however, virus does not cause cytopathic effects, to explain increased endothelium permeability. Therefore, immune mechanisms were suggested to play a crucial role in hantavirus pathogenesis. In this review, we summarize data on hantavirus-induced immune disturbances and discuss their implication in capillary leakage caused by hantavirus infection.

Ribavirin causes error catastrophe during Hantaan virus replication

Except for ribavirin, no other antiviral drugs for treating hantaviral diseases have been identified. It is well established that ribavirin will inhibit the production of infectious Hantaan virus (HTNV); however, its mechanism of action is unknown. To characterize the inhibitory effect of ribavirin on HTNV, the levels of viral RNAs, proteins, and infectious particles were measured for 3 days posttreatment of HTNV-infected Vero E6 cells. HTNV-infected cells treated with ribavirin showed a slight reduction in the levels of cRNA, viral RNA, and mRNA populations on the first day postinfection. The amount of cRNA and viral RNA increased to that observed for untreated HTNV-infected cells on day 2, whereas mRNA levels were more greatly reduced on days 2 and 3. Despite the finding of S-segment mRNA, albeit low, three of the viral proteins-nucleocapsid (N) protein and glycoproteins G1 and G2-could not be detected by immunohistochemistry in ribavirin-treated cells. To test the hypothesis that these effects were caused by incorporation of ribavirin into nascent RNA and a resultant "error catastrophe" was occurring, we cloned and sequenced the S-segment cRNA/mRNA from ribavirin-treated or untreated cells from day 3. We found a high mutation frequency (9.5/1,000 nucleotides) in viral RNA synthesized in the presence of ribavirin. Hence, the transcripts produced in the presence of the drug were not functional. These results suggest that ribavirin's mechanism of action lies in challenging the fidelity of the hantavirus polymerase, which causes error catastrophe.

The multimerization of hantavirus nucleocapsid protein depends on type-specific epitopes

Multimerization of the Hantaan virus nucleocapsid protein (NP) in Hantaan virus-infected Vero E6 cells was observed in a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Recombinant and truncated NPs of Hantaan, Seoul, and Dobrava viruses lacking the N-terminal 49 amino acids were also detected as multimers. Although truncated NPs of Hantaan virus lacking the N-terminal 154 amino acids existed as a monomer, those of Seoul and Dobrava formed multimers. The multimerized truncated NP antigens of Seoul and Dobrava viruses could detect serotype-specific antibodies, whereas the monomeric truncated NP antigen of Hantaan virus lacking the N-terminal 154 amino acids could not, suggesting that a hantavirus serotype-specific epitope on the NP results in multimerization. The NP-NP interaction was also detected by using a yeast two-hybrid assay. Two regions, amino acids 100 to 125 (region 1) and amino acids 404 to 429 (region 2), were essential for the NP-NP interaction in yeast. The NP of Seoul virus in which the tryptophan at amino acid number 119 was replaced by alanine (W119A mutation) did not multimerize in the yeast two-hybrid assay, indicating that tryptophan 119 in region 1 is important for the NP-NP interaction in yeast. However, W119A mutants expressed in mammalian cells were detected as the multimer by using competitive ELISA. Similarly, the truncated NP of Seoul virus expressing amino acids 155 to 429 showed a homologous interaction in a competitive ELISA but not in the yeast two-hybrid assay, indicating that the C-terminal region is important for the multimerization detected by competitive ELISA. Combined, the results indicate that several steps and regions are involved in multimerization of hantavirus NP.

Hantavirus infections and their prevention

Hantaviruses are rodent-borne bunyaviruses which cause haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in humans. This review covers the host interactions of the viruses, including the rodent reservoirs, the clinical outcome of human infections as well as the pathogenesis and laboratory diagnosis of infections. The current stage in prophylaxis and therapy of hantaviral diseases is described and different approaches in vaccine development are discussed.

Truncated hantavirus nucleocapsid proteins for serotyping Hantaan, Seoul, and Dobrava hantavirus infections

Truncated recombinant nucleocapsid proteins (rNPs) of Hantaan virus (HTNV), Seoul virus (SEOV), and Dobrava virus (DOBV) were expressed by a baculovirus system. The truncated rNPs, which lacked 49 (rNP50) or 154 (rNP155) N-terminal amino acids of the NPs of HTNV, SEOV, and DOBV, were able to differentiate HTNV-, SEOV-, and DOBV-specific immune sera. Recombinant NP50s retained higher reactivities than rNP155s and were proven useful for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The ELISAs based on the rNP50s of HTNV, SEOV, and DOBV successfully differentiated three groups of patient sera, previously defined by neutralization tests: 17 with HTNV infection, 12 with SEOV infection, and 20 with DOBV infection. The entire rNP of Puumala virus (PUUV) distinguished PUUV infection from the other types of hantavirus infection. Serotyping with these rNP50s can be recommended as a rapid and efficient system for hantavirus diagnosis.

Genetic diversity of hantaviruses isolated in china and characterization of novel hantaviruses isolated from Niviventer confucianus and Rattus rattus

The antigenic and genetic properties of 46 hantaviruses from China, 13 from patients, 23 from rodents, and 10 from unknown hosts, were compared with those of other hantaviruses. The viruses were classified as either Hantaan (HTN) or Seoul (SEO) viruses. A phylogenetic analysis of the partial M (300 bp) and S (around 485 bp) genomes of HTN viruses identified nine distinct genetic subtypes, one consisting of isolates from Korea. The SEO viruses were divided into five genetic subtypes, although they had less variability than the HTN subtypes. There was a correlation between the subtype and province of origin for four subtypes of HTN viruses, confirming geographical clustering. Hantaan virus NC167 isolated from Niviventer confucianus and SEO virus Gou3 isolated from Rattus rattus were the basal clades in each virus. The phylogenetic trees constructed from the entire S and M segments suggested that NC167 was introduced to N. confucianus in a host-switching event. The reactivity of a panel of 35 monoclonal antibodies was almost exactly the same in NC167 and a representative HTN virus and in Gou3 and a representative SEO virus. However, there was a one-way cross-neutralization between them. These results confirm the varied nature of Murinae-associated hantaviruses in China.

Murine leukemia virus pseudotypes of La Crosse and Hantaan Bunyaviruses: a system for analysis of cell tropism

We have developed a system for the preparation of La Crosse virus (LAC) and Hantaan virus (HTN) pseudotypes using a murine leukemia virus vector. After concentration, the pseudotypes were present in quantities sufficient to analyze cell tropism and neutralization. Cells resistant to LAC could not be infected with the MLV (LAC) pseudotypes, and the pseudotypes were sensitive to neutralizing monoclonal antibodies prepared against LAC glycoproteins, as well as to inhibition by a soluble form of the virus cell-attachment protein, G1. Perhaps because of lower expression of the HTN glycoproteins at the cell surface, MLV (HTN) pseudotypes were present at lower titers. However, they were also sensitive to appropriate neutralizing antibodies. This pseudotype system will be useful for analysis of the entry process of the Bunyaviridae, and for neutralization studies with some Bunyaviruses whose high virulence normally requires specialized containment facilities.

DNA vaccination with hantavirus M segment elicits neutralizing antibodies and protects against seoul virus infection

Seoul virus (SEOV) is one of four known hantaviruses causing hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). Candidate naked DNA vaccines for HFRS were constructed by subcloning cDNA representing the medium (M; encoding the G1 and G2 glycoproteins) or small (S; encoding the nucleocapsid protein) genome segment of SEOV into the DNA expression vector pWRG7077. We vaccinated BALB/c mice with three doses of the M or S DNA vaccine at 4-week intervals by either gene gun inoculation of the epidermis or needle inoculation into the gastrocnemius muscle. Both routes of vaccination resulted in antibody responses as measured by ELISA; however, gene gun inoculation elicited a higher frequency of seroconversion and higher levels of antibodies in individual mice. We vaccinated Syrian hamsters with the M or S construct using the gene gun and found hantavirus-specific antibodies in five of five and four of five hamsters, respectively. Animals vaccinated with the M construct developed a neutralizing antibody response that was greatly enhanced in the presence of guinea pig complement. Immunized hamsters were challenged with SEOV and, after 28 days, were monitored for evidence of infection. Hamsters vaccinated with M were protected from infection, but hamsters vaccinated with S were not protected.

Antigenic characterization of Hantaan and Seoul virus nucleocapsid proteins expressed by recombinant baculovirus: application of a truncated protein, lacking an antigenic region common to the two viruses, as a serotyping antigen

Hantaan virus (HTN) and Seoul virus (SEO) are members of the genus Hantavirus in the family Bunyaviridae and are causative agents of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. The complete and truncated nucleocapsid proteins (NP) of HTN and SEO were expressed by a recombinant baculovirus system. Antigenic characterization of the NP using monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) indicated that the binding sites for the serotype-specific MAbs were located between amino acids (aa) 155 and 429. A Western blot assay indicated that the serotype-specific epitopes were conformation dependent. An indirect immunofluorescence antibody (IFA) assay with the truncated NP (aa 155 to 429) was able to distinguish convalescent-phase sera from HTN and SEO patients. However, the antibody titers with the truncated NP were lower than those with the whole NP. The truncated NP of SEO (aa 155 to 429) could be used as an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) antigen, but the truncated NP from HTN lost its reactivity when used for ELISA. The IFA assay using baculovirus-expressed truncated NP as an antigen is a rapid, simple, and safe test for distinguishing between HTN and SEO infections by serotype.

Cell culture adaptation of Puumala hantavirus changes the infectivity for its natural reservoir, Clethrionomys glareolus, and leads to accumulation of mutants with altered genomic RNA S segment

This paper reports the establishment of a model for hantavirus host adaptation. Wild-type (wt) (bank vole-passaged) and Vero E6 cell-cultured variants of Puumala virus strain Kazan were analyzed for their virologic and genetic properties. The wt variant was well adapted for reproduction in bank voles but not in cell culture, while the Vero E6 strains replicated to much higher efficiency in cell culture but did not reproducibly infect bank voles. Comparison of the consensus sequences of the respective viral genomes revealed no differences in the coding region of the S gene. However, the noncoding regions of the S gene were found to be different at positions 26 and 1577. In one additional and independent adaptation experiment, all analyzed cDNA clones from the Vero E6-adapted variant were found to carry substitutions at position 1580 of the S segment, just 3 nucleotides downstream of the mutation observed in the first adaptation. No differences were found in the consensus sequences of the entire M segments from the wt and the Vero E6-adapted variants. The results indicated different impacts of the S and the M genomic segments for the adaptation process and selective advantages for the variants that carried altered noncoding sequences of the S segment. We conclude that the isolation in cell culture resulted in a phenotypically and genotypically altered hantavirus.

Laguna Negra virus associated with HPS in western Paraguay and Bolivia

A large outbreak of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) recently occurred in the Chaco region of Paraguay. Using PCR approaches, partial virus genome sequences were obtained from 5 human sera, and spleens from 5 Calomys laucha rodents from the outbreak area. Genetic analysis revealed a newly discovered hantavirus, Laguna Negra (LN) virus, to be associated with the HPS outbreak and established a direct genetic link between the virus detected in the HPS cases and in the C. laucha rodents, implicating them as the primary rodent reservoir for LN virus in Paraguay. Virus isolates were obtained from two C. laucha, and represent the first successful isolation of a pathogenic South American hantavirus. Analysis of the prototype LN virus entire S and M and partial L segment nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences showed that this virus is unique among the Sigmodontinae-borne clade of hantaviruses. Analysis of PCR fragments amplified from a serum sample from a Chilean HPS patient, who had recently traveled extensively in Bolivia (where C. laucha are known to occur), revealed an LN virus variant that was approximately 15% different at the nucleotide level and identical at the deduced amino acid level relative to the Paraguayan LN virus. These data suggest that LN virus may cause HPS in several countries in this geographic region.

Inhibition of bunyaviruses, phleboviruses, and hantaviruses by human MxA protein

Viruses of the Bunyaviridae family cause a variety of diseases ranging from uncomplicated fever to potentially lethal encephalitis and hemorrhagic fever. Little is known about the factors determining pathogenicity in the vertebrate host. Interferons have been reported to be inhibitory, but their mode of action against members of the Bunyaviridae has not yet been elucidated. The interferon-induced MxA protein encoded on human chromosome 21 is a large GTPase with antiviral activity against distinct negative-strand RNA viruses, notably influenza viruses. Here we show that MxA inhibits representative members of the Bunyaviridae family by interacting with an early step of virus replication. When constitutively expressed in stably transfected Vero cells, MxA prevented the accumulation of viral transcripts and proteins of Hantaan virus (genus Hantavirus). Other members of the family such as La Crosse virus (genus Bunyavirus) and Rift Valley fever virus and sandfly fever virus (both genus Phlebovirus) were likewise inhibited, and virus titers were reduced up to 10(4)-fold. Our data indicate that humans have evolved a mechanism of controlling these viruses irrespective of differences in viral coding strategies.

Ultrastructural characteristics of Sin Nombre virus, causative agent of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome

A previously unrecognized disease, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, was described following an outbreak of severe, often lethal, pulmonary illness in the southwestern United States in May-June, 1993. We have now studied the morphologic features of the causative agent, Sin Nomber virus (SNV), by thin section electron microscopy and immunoelectron microscopy of infected Vero E6 cells. SNV virions were roughly spherical and had a mean diameter of 112 nm. They had a rather dense envelope and closely apposed fine surface projections, 7 nm in length. Filamentous nucleocapsids were present within virions. Viral inclusion bodies were present in the cytoplasm of infected cells; these appeared granular or filamentous, depending on the plane of section. All of these characteristics were similar to published descriptions of other hantaviruses; however, unlike all other hantaviruses and virtually all other member viruses of the family Bunyaviridae which bud upon smooth intracytoplasmic membranes, SNV budding occurred almost entirely upon the plasma membrane of infected cells. Virus budding was associated with the formation of long 28 nm diameter tubular projections. Occasional elongated 47 nm diameter virus-like particles were seen to bud upon intracytoplasmic membranes. As shown by immunoelectron microscopy, viral antigens were localized over virions, inclusions, and tubular projections associated with virion morphogenesis.

Nucleocapsid- and virus-like particles assemble in cells infected with recombinant baculoviruses or vaccinia viruses expressing the M and the S segments of Hantaan virus

The formation of Hantaan (HTN) virus nucleocapsid-like structures (NLS) or virus-like particles (VLP) from expressed gene products was investigated in two eukaryotic systems. Baculovirus expression of the HTN virus small segment (S), which encodes the viral nucleocapsid protein, resulted in assembly of NLS inside infected insect cells. The NLS and authentic ribonucleocapsids, prepared by detergent disruption of HTN virions, had similar sedimentation characteristics and morphologies, and were recognized by HTN virus N-specific antibodies. Co-expression of S and the medium segment (M), which encodes the two viral envelope glycoproteins (G1 and G2), did not efficiently generate VLP in the baculovirus-insect cell system, but VLP were observed in lysates and supernatants of cells infected with a recombinant vaccinia virus co-expressing HTN virus M and S. The VLP sedimented in sucrose to densities consistent with HTN virions, and some of them bore a striking resemblance to Hantaan virions when examined by immunoelectron microscopy.

Development of monoclonal antibodies against Hantaan virus nucleocapsid protein

Forty-five hybridoma cell lines producing monoclonal antibodies against Hantaan virus, the etiologic agent of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, were generated by fusion of P3-X63-Ag8.V653 myeloma cells with spleen cells of mice immunized with inactivated Hantaan virus vaccine. Among these, 38 antibodies were identified as binding to the 48-kDa nucleocapsid protein by immunoblot assay or radioimmunoprecipitation. Twenty-six of them were of the immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1), nine were of the IgG2a, and three were of the IgA isotype. According to cross-reactivities with other serotypes of the genus Hantavirus, the antibodies were classified into three groups: 6 antibodies specific to the Hantaan serotype (group I), 20 antibodies cross-reacting with Hantaan and Seoul serotypes (SR-11, Tchoupitoulas, and R22) (group II), and 12 antibodies cross-reacting with Hantaan, Seoul, and Prospect Hill serotypes (group III). None of the antibodies cross-reacted with the Puumala serotype. With a panel of antibodies of different cross-reactivities, serotypes of Hantavirus could be differentiated. Thirty-eight monoclonal antibodies against Hantaan virus nucleocapsid protein which have different cross-reactivities between serotypes were developed. These results confirmed the presence of multiple serotype-specific epitopes on the nucleocapsid protein of Hantaan virus, which can be utilized in differentiation of serotypes.

Fatal illness associated with a new hantavirus in Louisiana

A fatal case of hantaviral illness occurred in Louisiana, outside of the range of P. maniculatus, the rodent reservoir for Sin Nombre virus. Hantavirus RNA and antigens were detected in patient autopsy tissues, and nucleotide sequence analysis of amplified polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products identified a newly recognized unique hantavirus, provisionally named Bayou virus. Prominent features of the clinical illness are compatible with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), but several features such as renal insufficiency and intraalveolar hemorrhage are more compatible with hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), a disease associated with Eurasian hantaviruses.

Antibody responses to Four Corners hantavirus infections in the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus): identification of an immunodominant region of the viral nucleocapsid protein

Antibody responses to Four Corners hantavirus (FCV) infections in the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) were characterized by using FCV nucleocapsid protein (N), glycoprotein 1 (G1), and glycoprotein 2 (G2) recombinant polypeptides in Western immunoblot assays. Strong immunoglobulin G reactivities to FCV N were observed among FCV-infected wild P. maniculatus mice (n = 34) and in laboratory-infected P. maniculatus mice (n = 11). No immunoglobulin G antibody reactivities to FCV G1 or G2 linear determinants were detected. The strongest N responses were mapped to an amino-proximal segment between amino acids 17 and 59 (QLVTARQKLKDAERAVELDPDDVNKSTLQSRRAAVSALETKLG). FCV N antibodies cross-reacted with recombinant N proteins encoded by Puumala, Seoul, and Hantaan viruses.

Hantaviruses: clinical, microbiologic, and epidemiologic aspects

Hantaviruses comprise a genus of the family Bunyaviridae. Bunyaviruses are enveloped viruses with a negative-sense, tripartite RNA genome. Hantaviruses are etiologic agents for two acute and severe illnesses of man, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). Each hantavirus is primarily associated with a single rodent host species or genus, and is transmitted to man through accidental inhalation or ingestion of virus-contaminated rodent excreta. The distribution of hantaviruses is worldwide. HFRS is caused by infection with Hantaan, Seoul, Dobrava/Belgrade, and Puumala hantaviruses, all of which are enzootic in murid rodents of Old World origin. HPS is caused by any of several hantavirus species associated with indigenous New World rodents of the subfamily Sigmodontinae, family Muridae. HFRS and HPS have numerous common epidemiologic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics. Common features include fever, myalgia, thrombocytopenia, neutrophilia, and a profound capillary leak syndrome associated with hypotension, decreased cardiac output, and shock. Worldwide, HPS is much less common than HFRS but is associated with a higher mortality rate. Recovery from hantavirus disease is generally complete, although chronic renal insufficiency may be a rare sequel of HFRS.

Characterization of human antibody responses to four corners hantavirus infections among patients with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a human disease caused by a newly identified hantavirus, which we will refer to as Four Corners virus (FCV). FCV is related most closely to Puumala virus (PUU) and to Prospect Hill virus (PHV). Twenty-five acute HPS serum samples were tested for immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM antibody reactivities to FCV-encoded recombinant proteins in Western blot (immunoblot) assays. All HPS serum samples contained both IgG and IgM antibodies to the FCV nucleocapsid (N) protein. FCV N antibodies cross-reacted with PUU N and PHV N proteins. A dominant FCV N epitope was mapped to the segment between amino acids 17 and 59 (QLVTARQKLKDAERAVELDPDDVNKSTLQSRRAAVSALETKLG). All HPS serum samples contained IgG antibodies to the FCV glycoprotein-1 (G1) protein, and 21 of 25 serum samples contained FCV G1 IgM antibodies. The FCV G1 antibodies did not cross-react with PUU G1 and PHV G1 proteins. The FCV G1 type-specific antibody reactivity mapped to a segment between amino acids 59 and 89 (LKIESSCNFDLHVPATTTQKYNQVDWTKKSS). One hundred twenty-eight control serum samples were tested for IgG reactivities to the FCV N and G1 proteins. Nine (7.0%) contained FCV N reactivities, 3 (2.3%) contained FCV G1 reactivities, and one (0.8%) contained both FCV N and FCV G1 reactivities. The epitopes recognized by antibodies present in control serum samples were different from the epitopes recognized by HPS antibodies, suggesting that the control antibody reactivities were unrelated to FCV infections. These reagents constitute a type-specific assay for FCV antibodies.

Protective immunity of Hantaan virus nucleocapsid and envelope protein studied using baculovirus-expressed proteins

Recombinant Hantaan virus nucleocapsid protein (rNP) and recombinant envelope (rEnv) proteins were prepared using a baculovirus expression system to examine the role of Hantaan virus structural proteins in protective immunity. Passive transfer of spleen cells from mice immunized with rNP conferred partial protection or prolongation of time to death from fatal Hantaan virus infection in suckling mice which were challenged with Hantaan virus at 40 LD50 (survival rate: 43%) or 4 LD50 (survival rate: 43%). The T cell-enriched fraction protected one mouse from lethal infection but the B cell-enriched fraction had no such effect on fatal HTN infection. The protective effects of the antibody against HTN challenge were examined by passive immunization. The monoclonal antibody ECO 2 directed to NP also conferred partial survival and significant difference in time to death. Although rEnv antigen failed to induce neutralizing antibody, both immune spleen cells and immune serum to rEnv conferred partial protection upon suckling mice. These results indicate that both nucleocapsid and envelope proteins of Hantaan virus were responsible for induction of cell mediated protective immunity. Vero E 6 cells infected with Hantaan virus expressed envelope protein on the surface, as determined by flow cytometry. However, there was only negligible expression of nucleocapsid protein.

Serum antibodies to structural proteins of hantavirus arise at different times after infection

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for the quantification of serum antibodies against group-specific epitopes of the glycoproteins (G1, G2) and nucleoprotein (NP) of the genus Hantavirus. This assay was used to study the kinetics of the development of serum antibodies after natural infection with Puumala-like virus in humans. To this end a panel of 34 serum samples collected from individuals at different times after natural infection was tested by the ELISA. The samples were also tested for specific IgM and IgG levels against Puumala-like virus, which provided confirmatory data about the presumed timing of infection. It was shown that serum antibodies against the G1 epitope were present in the acute and early convalescent period just before antibodies to the NP epitope could be demonstrated. In contrast, antibodies to two G2 epitopes were present not earlier than in the convalescent and late convalescent period. Since all these categories of antibodies seem to persist for long periods, antibodies against the G1 epitope and the NP epitope may be of specific diagnostic value. Furthermore, levels of G1-specific antibodies and antibodies to either NP or G2 may allow estimation of the time elapsed following initial infection.

Bank vole monoclonal antibodies against Puumala virus envelope glycoproteins: identification of epitopes involved in neutralization

Bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus) monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against the two envelope glycoproteins (G 1 and G 2) of the Puumala (PUU) virus were generated and characterized. Analyses of the MAbs' antigen and epitope specificities showed non-overlapping reactivities of one anti-G 1 and two anti-G 2 MAbs. A significant neutralizing activity was shown by the anti-G 1 and one of the anti-G 2 MAbs, suggesting the existence of at least one neutralizing domain on each of the two glycoproteins. The two neutralizing MAbs reacted with eight PUU-related (serotype 3) virus strains, but did not react with Hantaan, Seoul, or Prospect Hill viruses in an immunofluorescence assay, indicating reactivity with epitopes unique for PUU virus. The non-neutralizing anti-G 2 MAb also reacted with Seoul virus, revealing the presence of a conserved G 2-epitope common for PUU and Seoul viruses, not involved in neutralization. Competitive binding of the MAbs and sera from nephropathia epidemica patients indicated that the defined neutralizing and non-neutralizing epitopes of the glycoproteins were immunodominant also in humans. In another experiment, magnetic beads coated with two MAbs were bound with the virus glycoproteins and used for selective enrichment of cells secreting anti-glycoprotein antibodies.

Molecular characterization and expression of glycoprotein gene of Hantavirus R22 strain isolated from Rattus norvegicus in China

A cDNA containing the complete open reading frame of the M genome segment of Hantavirus R22 strain isolated from Rattus norvegicus in China, was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and then cloned. The M segment is 3656 nucleotides in length with a predicted region of 3402 bases encoding a precursor glycoprotein of 1134 amino acids subsequently processed into viral glycoproteins 1 and 2 (G1 and G2). A strain comparison between R22 and SR11 (isolated from a rat in Japan), and Hantaan 76-118 (isolated from Apodemus in Korea), and Hallnas B1 (isolated from a bank vole in Sweden) revealed 95%, 74%, and 53% homologies at the deduced amino acid sequence level respectively. This suggests that the rodent host species may be a more important determinant of genetic relationships than geographic proximity. Six potential asparagine linked glycosylation sites (five in G1 and one in G2) were identified, and among them all are conserved in SR11, five in Hantaan virus and four in Hallnas B1 virus. Although different degrees of homology exist among these four viruses at amino acid sequence level, more than 90% of the cysteine residues are conserved, suggesting that structural homology may be very strong between the Hantaviruses. Genetic differences in the M segment genome of R22 and SR11 viruses, within the same serotype viruses, were found as random coding changes; some limited to single amino acids, others in clusters. A recombinant vaccinia virus that contained the fully activated M segment cDNA of R22 was constructed. This recombinant virus expressed two glycoproteins G1 and G2 identical to R22 virus G1 and G2 in molecular weight, cleavage pattern and cellular immunofluorescent patterns.