A simple and rapid method of preparing large fragments of dengue virus cDNA from replicative-form RNA using reverse transcriptase and PCR

Demonstration of binding of dengue virus envelope protein to target cells

The nature of the initial interaction of dengue virus with target cells and the extent to which this interaction defines tropism are unknown. Infection of some cells may involve antidengue antibody-mediated immune adherence to cells bearing immunoglobulin Fc receptors; however, this mechanism does not explain primary infection or the infection of cells without Fc receptors. We hypothesized that dengue virus envelope protein mediates initial binding to target cells. To test this hypothesis, a recombinant chimeric form of dengue type 2 virus envelope protein was used as a probe to investigate binding to the surfaces of potential target cells. Envelope protein was expressed amino terminal to the heavy-chain constant region of human immunoglobulin G containing the Fc receptor binding motif; the binding mediated by envelope determinants was distinguishable from the binding mediated by immunoglobulin Fc determinants. We found that the recombinant chimera bound to Vero, CHO, endothelial, and glial cells through envelope protein determinants and to monocytes and U937 cells by Fc-Fc receptor interactions. The highest level of binding was to Vero cells; binding was dose and time dependent and saturable. Examination of partial-length recombinant envelope proteins indicated that the binding motif was expressed between amino acids 281 and 423. Recombinant envelope protein inhibited infection of Vero cells by dengue virus, indicating the functional significance of the interaction of envelope protein and target cells in infectivity. These results suggest that envelope protein binding to a non-Fc receptor could explain the cell and tissue tropism of primary dengue virus infection.

Monitoring the cDNA synthesis of dengue-2 virus by RT PCR

Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT PCR) was utilized to observe the complementary DNA (cDNA) synthesis from the 10723 base dengue-2 virus template by in vitro reverse transcription. The PCR product amplified from 5'-end of the genome (PCR primers N1A-E1) indicates the completeness of the cDNA synthesis because the cDNA primer D8B was located at 3'-end and the cDNA synthesized encompassed the entire RNA template. The integrity of the dengue virus RNA was also determined by the cDNA primer extension from 3'-end and the PCR amplification at various regions from 5'-end of the RNA template. In conclusion, RT PCR could be applied to monitor cDNA synthesis by in vitro reverse transcription and measure the integrity of viral RNA template. Moreover, it is demonstrated that at least 10.7 kilobases of the cDNA could be synthesized from dengue-2 virus RNA by in vitro reverse transcription.

Cloning and expression of the cervine interleukin 4 gene

Interleukin 4 (IL-4), a cytokine produced by the T helper 2 subset of T lymphocytes is involved in up regulating antibody responses. A source of recombinant cervine IL-4 would be useful for studying the immune response of deer to tuberculosis. We report here the cloning, sequencing and expression of recombinant cervine IL-4. To achieve this mRNA was isolated from red deer (Cervus elaphus) mononuclear leucocytes. First strand cDNA was synthesized from the mRNA and the IL-4 cDNA was amplified, cloned and sequenced. The IL-4 cDNA is 408 bp in length and the deduced amino acid sequence is 92% homologous with the published bovine IL-4 amino acid sequence. IL-4 was expressed using the baculovirus expression system in Spodoptera frugiperda Sf9 cells. Northern blot, SDS-PAGE analysis and bioassay were used to confirm the expression of IL-4.