Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies to porcine group C rotaviruses cross-reactive with group A rotaviruses

Molecular characterization of the major capsid protein VP6 of bovine group B rotavirus and its use in seroepidemiology

The major inner capsid protein (VP6) gene of the bovine group B rotavirus (GBR) Nemuro strain is 1269 nt in length and contains one open reading frame encoding 391 aa. Nucleotide and amino acid sequence identities of the Nemuro VP6 gene compared with the published corresponding human and rodent GBR genes were respectively 66–67 and 70–72 %, which are notably lower than those between human and rodent viruses (72–73 and 83–84 %, respectively). Overall identities of VP6 genes among GBRs were substantially lower than those among both group A rotaviruses (GARs) and group C rotaviruses (GCRs) derived from different species of mammals. These results demonstrate that bovine GBR is remarkably distinct from other GBRs and that GBRs from different species may have had a longer period of divergence than GARs and GCRs. Recombinant VP6 was generated with a baculovirus expression system and used for an ELISA to detect GBR antibodies. All 13 paired sera from adult cows with GBR-induced diarrhoea in the field showed antibody responses in the ELISA. In serological surveys of GBR infection using the ELISA, 47 % of cattle sera were positive for GBR antibodies, with a higher antibody prevalence in adults than in young cattle. In pigs, a high prevalence of GBR antibodies (97 %) was detected in sera from sows. These results suggest that GBR infection is common in cattle and pigs, notwithstanding the scarcity of reports of GBR detection in these species to date.

Precipitation of bovine rotavirus by polyethylene [corrected] glycol (PEG) and its application to produce polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies

Many protocols are available to produce monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against bovine rotavirus (BRV) using purified virus particles but those methods are time-consuming and produce substantial loss of virus structure or infectivity. Polyethylene gycol (PEG) viral precipitation was investigated as a possible alternative method to obtain purified virus and viral antigen for monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies production. The antigenic mass inoculated into rabbits was sufficient to obtain a polyclonal hyperimmune serum with neutralizing activity and a wide range of humoral responses to different viral proteins with minimum cellular contamination. This antigenic mass inoculated into mice was capable of producing seven MAbs with different biochemical characteristics (Western-blot; indirect immunofluorescence and serum neutralization assays). When evaluated as diagnostic tools to detect BRV antigen in feces the MAbs were effective for detecting rotavirus in naturally infected calves. This work demonstrate that PEG precipitation could be an useful procedure for obtaining viral antigen to produce polyclonal and MAbs against BRV. The antigenic mass obtained, the viral infectivity, and the conserved protein pattern suggest that this methodology could be applied to this and to other viruses, reducing time or possible loss of antigens involved in viral purification.

Production of hybrid double- or triple-layered virus-like particles of group A and C rotaviruses using a baculovirus expression system

Dual infections by group A and group C rotaviruses have been reported, but no reassortants between group A and group C rotaviruses have been described. The VP6 major inner capsid protein of group A and C rotaviruses shares common antigens detected by monoclonal antibodies and also shares 40-43% amino acid identity. Coinfection of Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) insect cells with different combinations of the recombinant baculoviruses encoding either group A [RF VP2 (A-VP2), IND VP6 (A-VP6), and VP7 (A-VP7[IND]), 2292B VP7 (A-VP7[2292B])] or C [Shintoku VP6 (C-VP6) and VP7 (C-VP7)] bovine rotavirus proteins produced hybrid group A/C triple-layered VP2/6/7 virus-like particles (TLPs) composed of A-VP2/C-VP6/C-VP7, A-VP2/C-VP6/A-VP7(IND), A-VP2/C-VP6/A-VP7(2292B), and A-VP2/A-VP6/C-VP7. To our knowledge, this is the first report that the inner capsid VP6 of group A or group C rotavirus can support attachment of the heterologous, antigenically distinct group A (G6, IND or G10, 2292B) or group C rotavirus outer capsid VP7 to produce hybrid TLPs in vitro.

Dual infection of gnotobiotic calves with bovine strains of group A and porcine-like group C rotaviruses influences pathogenesis of the group C rotavirus

There is serological evidence that bovine group C rotaviruses exist in the United States, but there are no reports of their isolation. Ninety fecal samples from calves with diarrhea, 81 samples from adult cows with diarrhea (winter dysentery), and 20 fecal samples from healthy adult cows were tested for group C rotaviruses by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, immune electron microscopy, and reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR). Three samples from adult cow diarrhea cases were positive only by RT-PCR, and a group C rotavirus was isolated from a positive sample in monkey kidney (MA104) cells (WD534tc/C). Genetically and serologically, the WD534tc/C strain was more closely related to the Cowden porcine group C strain than to the Shintoku bovine strain. Because the original cow feces also contained a group A rotavirus (detected after passage in cell culture), we hypothesized that such dual-rotavirus infections might play a role in the pathogenesis and host adaptation of rotaviruses. Thus, we examined the pathogenesis of WD534tc/C alone or combined with virulent (IND/A) or attenuated (NCDV/A) bovine group A rotaviruses in gnotobiotic calves. WD534tc/C alone induced diarrhea without (or with limited) virus shedding in inoculated calves (n = 3). In contrast, all calves coinfected with WD534tc/C and IND/A (n = 2) developed diarrhea and shed both viruses, whereas calves coinfected with WD534tc/C and NCDV/A (n = 3) developed diarrhea but did not shed either virus. Infection with WD534tc/C or NCDV/A alone caused only mild villous atrophy (jejunum and/or ileum), whereas dual infection with both viruses induced lesions throughout the small intestine. Although IND/A alone caused villous atrophy, more-widespread small intestinal lesions occurred in calves coinfected with WD534tc/C and IND/A. In conclusion, coinfection of calves with group A rotaviruses enhanced fecal shedding of a bovine group C rotavirus and the extent of histopathological lesions in the small intestines. Thus, our findings suggest a potential novel hypothesis involving dual infections for the adaptation of heterologous rotaviruses to new host species.

Infection with group C rotavirus in a suburban community in Brazil

Group C rotaviruses are associated with sporadic outbreaks of gastroenteritis worldwide. Age-specific seroprevalence of group C rotavirus antibodies was investigated in sera, randomly collected and representative of a suburban community in Brazil which had previously been screened for group A rotavirus antibodies. Antibody prevalence to group C rotavirus was low in children under 5 years and increased slowly with age to 36% seropositivity in adults, reflecting continuous exposure to primary infection in all age groups. This suggests a higher incidence of infection than disease might predict. Adult antibody prevalence was similar to that in other geographical settings. No obvious patterns of infection with group A and group C rotavirus were found within individuals, which suggests independent transmission. However, further epidemiological studies are required to understand group C rotavirus dynamics and possible interactions with group A rotavirus transmission and immunity.

Sequence comparison of the VP7 gene encoding the outer capsid glycoprotein among animal and human group C rotaviruses

The nucleotide sequences of the outer capsid glycoprotein (VP7) genes from the Shintoku bovine and the HF and WH porcine group C rotaviruses were determined and compared with those of the published corresponding genes from the Cowden porcine and Ehime human group C rotaviruses. The VP7 genes of all 5 strains were 1063 nucleotides in length and possess one open reading frame encoding a polypeptide of 332 amino acids. Comparative analysis of the deduced amino acid sequences indicated that 85.2-97.0% identity was observed for the VP7 of the serotypically related strains of group C rotaviruses (Cowden, WH and Ehime) whereas 69.9-74.7% identity was observed among the serotypically distinct strains (Shintoku; Cowden, WH and Ehime; and HF). At least 8 variable regions in the VP7 were recognized among serotypically distinct strains, and these locations were similar to those of the variable regions in the VP7 of group A rotaviruses.