Thermal stability of matrix protein from Newcastle disease virus

Biophysical characterization of G protein ectodomain of group B human respiratory syncytial virus from E. coli

Human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) is an important pathogen of acute respiratory tract infection. The G protein of hRSV is a transmembrane glycoprotein that is a neutralizing antigen and is thus a vaccine candidate. In this study, synthetic codon optimized ectodomain G protein [G(ΔTM)] of BA genotype of group B hRSV was cloned, expressed, and characterized using biophysical techniques. The molar absorption coefficient and mean residue ellipticity at 222 nm ([θ]222) of G (ΔTM) was found to be 7950 M(-1) cm(-1) and -19701.7 deg cm(2) dmol(-1) respectively. It was concluded that G(ΔTM) mainly consist of α-helix (74.9%) with some amount of β-sheet (4%). The protein was stable up to 85°C without any transition curve. However, heat-induced denaturation of G(ΔTM) resulted in total loss of β-sheet whereas not much change was observed in the α-helix part of the secondary structure. It was concluded that G(ΔTM) is an α-helical protein and it is highly stable at high temperature, but could be easily denatured using high concentrations of GdmCl/urea or acidic condition. This is the first investigation of cloning, expression, and characterization of G(ΔTM) of BA viruses from India. Structural characterization of G protein will assist in drug designing and vaccine development for hRSV.

Spectrum of Newcastle disease virus stability in gradients of temperature and pH

Newcastle disease (ND) is one of the highly pathogenic viral diseases of avian species. The disease is endemic in many developing countries where agriculture serves as the primary source of national income. Newcastle disease virus (NDV) belongs to the family Paramyxoviridae and is well characterized member among the avian paramyxovirus serotypes. The failure of vaccination is one of the major causes of NDV outbreaks in field condition. The present study gives a brief picture about the biology of NDV genome and its proteins under different conditions of temperature and pH. Our results indicate that the NDV is non-infective above 42 °C and unstable above 72 °C. The study will be useful in defining an optimum storage condition for NDV without causing any deterioration in its viability.

Genetically engineered Newcastle disease virus expressing interleukin-2 and TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand for cancer therapy

Recombinant Newcastle disease virus (rNDV) have shown oncolytic therapeutic efficacy in preclinical studies and are currently in clinical trials. In this study, we have evaluated the possibility to enhance the cancer therapeutic potential of NDV by means of inserting both interleukin-2 (IL-2) and tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) delivered by rNDV. We demonstrated that rNDV expressing TRAIL (rNDV-TRAIL) or both human IL-2 and TRAIL (rNDV-IL-2-TRAIL) significantly enhanced inherent anti-neoplastic of rNDV by inducing apoptosis. And we showed that apoptosis-related genes mRNA expression was increased after treated with rNDV-TRAIL or rNDV-IL-2-TRAIL compared with rNDV and rNDV-IL-2. We also demonstrated that both rNDV-IL-2 and rNDV-IL-2-TRAIL induced proliferation of the CD4(+) and CD8(+) in treated mice and elicited expression of TNF-α and IFN-γ antitumor cytokines. These mice treated with oncolytic agents exhibited significant reduction in tumor development compared with mice treated with the parental virus. In addition, experiments in both hepatocellular carcinoma and melanoma-bearing mice demonstrated that the genetically engineered rNDV-IL-2-TRAIL exhibited prolonged animals' survival compared with rNDV, rNDV-IL-2, and rNDV-TRAIL. In conclusion, the immunotherapy and oncolytic virotherapy properties of NDV can be enhanced by the introduction of IL-2 and TRAIL genes, whose products initiated a broad cascade of immunological affects and induced tumor cells apoptosis in the microenvironment of the immune system.