Current status and evolving approaches to African swine fever vaccine development

Synergy between pluripotent stem cell-derived macrophages and self-renewing macrophages: Envisioning a promising avenue for the modelling and cell therapy of infectious diseases

As crucial phagocytes of the innate immune system, macrophages (Mϕs) protect mammalian hosts, maintain tissue homeostasis and influence disease pathogenesis. Nonetheless, Mϕs are susceptible to various pathogens, including bacteria, viruses and parasites, which cause various infectious diseases, necessitating a deeper understanding of pathogen-Mϕ interactions and therapeutic insights. Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) have been efficiently differentiated into PSC-derived Mϕs (PSCdMϕs) resembling primary Mϕs, advancing the modelling and cell therapy of infectious diseases. However, the mass production of PSCdMϕs, which lack proliferative capacity, relies on large-scale expansions of PSCs, thereby increasing both costs and culture cycles. Notably, Mϕs deficient in the MafB/c-Maf genes have been reported to re-enter the cell cycle with the stimulation of specific growth factor cocktails, turning into self-renewing Mϕs (SRMϕs). This review summarizes the applications of PSCdMϕs in the modelling and cell therapy of infectious diseases and strategies for establishing SRMϕs. Most importantly, we innovatively propose that PSCs can serve as a gene editing platform to creating PSC-derived SRMϕs (termed PSRMϕs), addressing the resistance of Mϕs against genetic manipulation. We discuss the challenges and possible solutions in creating PSRMϕs. In conclusion, this review provides novel insights into the development of physiologically relevant and expandable Mϕ models, highlighting the enormous potential of PSRMϕs as a promising avenue for the modelling and cell therapy of infectious diseases.

Challenging boundaries: is cross-protection evaluation necessary for African swine fever vaccine development? A case of oral vaccination in wild boar

African swine fever (ASF) poses a significant threat to domestic pigs and wild boar (Sus scrofa) populations, with the current epidemiological situation more critical than ever. The disease has spread across five continents, causing devastating losses in the swine industry. Although extensive research efforts are ongoing to develop an effective and safe vaccine, this goal remains difficult to achieve. Among the potential vaccine candidates, live attenuated viruses (LAVs) have emerged as the most promising option due to their ability to provide strong protection against experimental challenges. However, ASF virus (ASFV) is highly diverse, with genetic and phenotypic variations across different isolates, which differ in virulence. This study highlights the limitations of a natural LAV strain (Lv17/WB/Rie1), which showed partial efficacy against a highly virulent and partially heterologous isolate (Arm07; genotype II). However, the LAV's effectiveness was incomplete when tested against a more phylogenetically distant virus (Ken06.Bus; genotype IX). These findings raise concerns about the feasibility of developing a universal vaccine for ASFV in the near future, emphasizing the urgent need to assess the protective scope of LAV candidates across different ASFV isolates to better define their limitations.

Navigating the threat of African swine fever: a comprehensive review

African swine fever (ASF) is caused by Asfivirus and has become one of the most important diseases of swine in recent years. ASF was an endemic disease of the sub-Saharan Africa but later spread to various parts of the world. The infection in ticks and wild swine, alongside global pork trade, drives its spread and persistence. Once introduced to an area, the disease is difficult to eliminate due to sylvatic, domestic, and tick-swine transmission cycles. Because of the existence of various modes of transmission of the ASF virus, biosecurity measures have not been very successful. The line of treatment is not of much use and the outcome of this disease is usually fatal. The prognosis or the recovery of the animal depends on the virulence of the strain involved. Development of vaccines has been attempted but to date has not been very successful. This review focuses on the basic context of ASF, the challenges associated with it, and the options that might be available to prevent its occurrence which includes the different vaccine development strategies tried and tested till now.

Multi-epitope vaccine design of African swine fever virus considering T cell and B cell immunogenicity

T and B cell activation are equally important in triggering and orchestrating adaptive host responses to design multi-epitope African swine fever virus (ASFV) vaccines. However, few design methods have considered the trade-off between T and B cell immunogenicity when identifying promising ASFV epitopes. This work proposed a novel Pareto front-based ASFV screening method PFAS to identify promising epitopes for designing multi-epitope vaccines utilizing five ASFV Georgia 2007/1 sequences. To accurately predict T cell immunogenicity, four scoring methods were used to estimate the T cell activation in the four stages, including proteasomal cleavage probability, transporter associated with antigen processing transport efficiency, class I binding affinity of the major histocompatibility complex, and CD8 + cytotoxic T cell immunogenicity. PFAS ranked promising epitopes using a Pareto front method considering T and B cell immunogenicity. The coefficient of determination between the Pareto ranks of multi-epitope vaccines and survival days of swine vaccinations was R2 = 0.95. Consequently, PFAS scored complete epitope profiles and identified 72 promising top-ranked epitopes, including 46 CD2v epitopes, two p30 epitopes, 10 p72 epitopes, and 14 pp220 epitopes. PFAS is the first method of using the Pareto front approach to identify promising epitopes that considers the objectives of maximizing both T and B cell immunogenicity. The top-ranked promising epitopes can be cost-effectively validated in vitro. The Pareto front approach can be adaptively applied to various epitope predictors for bacterial, viral and cancer vaccine developments. The MATLAB code of the Pareto front method was available at https://github.com/NYCU-ICLAB/PFAS .

Identification of two novel linear epitopes on the E165R protein of African swine fever virus recognized by monoclonal antibodies

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly fatal infectious disease in pigs, caused by the African swine fever virus (ASFV). It is characterized by short disease duration and high morbidity and mortality. In August 2018, ASF was first reported in China and it subsequently spread rapidly throughout the country, causing serious economic losses for the Chinese pig industry. Early detection plays a critical role in preventing and controlling ASF because there is currently no effective vaccine or targeted therapeutic medication available. Additionally, identifying conserved protective antigenic epitopes of ASFV is essential for the development of diagnostic reagents. The E165R protein, which is highly expressed in the early stages of ASFV infection, can serve as an important indicator for early detection. In this study, we successfully obtained high purity soluble prokaryotic expression of the E165R protein. We then utilized the purified recombinant E165R protein for immunization in mice to prepare monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) using the hybridoma fusion technique. After three subclonal screens, we successfully obtained three mAbs against ASFV E165R protein in cells named 1B7, 1B8, and 10B8. Through immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and Western blot, we confirmed that the prepared mAbs specifically recognize the baculovirus-expressed E165R protein. By using overlapping truncated E165R protein and overlapping peptide scanning analysis, we tentatively identified two novel linear B cell epitopes (13EAEAYYPPSV22 and 55VACEHMGKKC64) that are highly conserved in genotype I and genotype II of ASFV. Thus, as a detection antibody, it has the capability to detect ASFV across a wide range of genotypes, providing valuable information for the development of related immunodiagnostic reagents.

Identification of a conserved G-quadruplex within the E165R of African swine fever virus (ASFV) as a potential antiviral target

Identification of a conserved G-quadruplex in E165R of ASFVAfrican swine fever virus (ASFV) is a double-stranded DNA arbovirus with high transmissibility and mortality rates. It has caused immense economic losses to the global pig industry. Currently, no effective vaccines or medications are to combat ASFV infection. G-quadruplex (G4) structures have attracted increasing interest because of their regulatory role in vital biological processes. In this study, we identified a conserved G-rich sequence within the E165R gene of ASFV. Subsequently, using various methods, we verified that this sequence could fold into a parallel G4. In addition, the G4-stabilizers pyridostatin and 5,10,15,20-tetrakis-(N-methyl-4-pyridyl) porphin (TMPyP4) can bind and stabilize this G4 structure, thereby inhibiting E165R gene expression, and the inhibitory effect is associated with G4 formation. Moreover, the G4 ligand pyridostatin substantially impeded ASFV proliferation in Vero cells by reducing gene copy number and viral protein expression. These compelling findings suggest that G4 structures may represent a promising and novel antiviral target against ASFV.

In vitro phenotypic characterisation of two genotype I African swine fever viruses with genomic deletion isolated from Sardinian wild boars

African swine fever virus (ASFV) causes a devastating disease affecting domestic and wild pigs. ASF was first introduced in Sardinia in 1978 and until 2019 only genotype I isolates were identified. A remarkable genetic stability of Sardinian ASFV isolates was described, nevertheless in 2019 two wild boar isolates with a sustained genomic deletion (4342 base pairs) were identified (7303WB/19, 7212WB/19). In this study, we therefore performed in vitro experiments with monocyte-derived macrophages (moMФ) to unravel the phenotypic characteristics of these deleted viruses. Both 7303WB/19 and 7212WB/19 presented a lower growth kinetic in moMФ compared to virulent Sardinian 26544/OG10, using either a high (1) or a low (0.01) multiplicity of infection (MOI). In addition, flow cytometric analysis showed that both 7303WB/19 and 7212WB/19 presented lower intracellular levels of both early and late ASFV proteins. We subsequently investigated whether deleted virus variants were previously circulating in wild boars in Sardinia. In the four years preceding the last genotype I isolation (February 2015-January 2019), other eight wild boar isolates were collected, all belonging to p72 genotype I, B602L subgroup X, but none of them presented a sustained genomic deletion. Overall, we observed the deleted virus isolates in Sardinia only in 2019, at the end of a strong eradication campaign, and our data suggest that it might possess an attenuated phenotype in vivo. A better understanding of ASFV evolution in endemic territories might contribute to development of effective control measures against ASF.

Development of a quantum dots based immunochromatographic strip for rapid and on-site detection of African swine fever virus

African swine fever (ASF) is a lethal disease caused by ASF virus (ASFV), severely impacting the global swine industry. Though nuclear acid-based detection methods are reliable, they are laboratory-dependent. In this study, we developed a device-independent, user friendly and cost-effective quantum dots based immunochromatographic strip (QDs-ICS) with high specificity and sensitivity for the rapid and on-site detection of ASFV antigen. For the preparation of the QDs-ICS, we generated a monoclonal antibody (mAb) mAb-8G8 and polyclonal antibody (pAb) against ASFV-p72 protein. The pAb was labelled with QDs to be used as the detection probe and the mAb-8G8 was coated on the nitrocellulose membrane as the test line. Our results proved that the strip displayed no cross-reactivity with other swine viruses and detection limit of the QDs-ICS was down to 1 ng/mL for the ASFV-p72 protein with great reproducibility. The strip also exhibited high stability with a storage period up to 12 months under room temperature. Twenty blind samples and one hundred clinical samples were examined by the QDs-ICS, conventional PCR and real-time PCR method, respectively. Results showed that the agreement rate between the QDs-ICS and PCR method was 100%, and the agreement rate between the strip and real-time PCR was 94%. The novel QDs-ICS developed here would be an effective tool for on-site detection of ASFV.

Establishment of an ELISA Based on a Recombinant Antigenic Protein Containing Multiple Prominent Epitopes for Detection of African Swine Fever Virus Antibodies

African swine fever virus (ASFV) poses a significant threat to the global pig industry, necessitating accurate and efficient diagnostic methods for its infection. Previous studies have often focused on a limited number of epitopes from a few proteins for detecting antibodies against ASFV. Therefore, the current study aimed to use multiple B-cell epitopes in developing an indirect Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) for enhanced detection of ASFV antibodies. For the expression of recombinant protein, k3 derived from 27 multiple peptides of 11 ASFV proteins, such as p72, pA104R, pB602L, p12, p14.5, p49, pE248R, p30, p54, pp62, and pp220, was used. To confirm the expression of the recombinant protein, we used the Western blotting analysis. The purified recombinant K3 protein served as the antigen in our study, and we employed the indirect ELISA technique to detect anti-ASFV antibodies. The present finding showed that there was no cross-reactivity with antibodies targeting Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), Pseudorabies virus (PRV), Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), and Classical swine fever virus (CSFV). Moreover, the current finding was sensitive enough to find anti-ASFV in serum samples that had been diluted up to 32 times. The test (k3-iELISA) showed diagnostic specificity and sensitivity of 98.41% and 97.40%, respectively. Moreover, during the present investigation, we compared the Ingenasa kit and the k3-iELISA to test clinical pig serum, and the results revealed that there was 99.00% agreement between the two tests, showing good detection capability of the k3-iELISA method. Hence, the current finding showed that the ELISA kit we developed can be used for the rapid detection of ASFV antibodies and used as an alternative during serological investigation of ASF in endemic areas.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae oral immunization in mice using multi-antigen of the African swine fever virus elicits a robust immune response

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is one of the most complex viruses. ASFV is a serious threat to the global swine industry because no commercial vaccines against this virus are currently available except in Vietnam. Moreover, ASFV is highly stable in the environment and can survive in water, feed, and aerosols for a long time. ASFV is transmitted through the digestive and respiratory tract. Mucosal immunity is the first line of defense against ASFV. Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC), which has been certified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and has a generally recognized as safe status in the food industry, was used for oral immunization in this study. ASFV antigens were effectively expressed in recombinant SC strains with high DNA copy numbers and stable growth though surface display technology and chromosome engineering (δ-integration). The recombinant SC strains containing eight ASFV antigens-KP177R, E183L, E199L, CP204L, E248R, EP402R, B602L, and B646L- induced strong humoral and mucosal immune responses in mice. There was no antigenic competition, and these antigens induced Th1 and Th2 cellular immune responses. Therefore, the oral immunization strategy using recombinant SC strains containing multiple ASFV antigens demonstrate potential for future testing in swine, including challenge studies to evaluate its efficacy as a vaccine against ASFV.

Recombinant Vaccine Strain ASFV-G-Δ9GL/ΔUK Produced in the IPKM Cell Line Is Genetically Stable and Efficacious in Inducing Protection in Pigs Challenged with the Virulent African Swine Fever Virus Field Isolate Georgia 2010

We have previously reported that the recombinant African Swine Fever (ASF) vaccine candidate ASFV-G-Δ9GL/ΔUK efficiently induces protection in domestic pigs challenged with the virulent strain Georgia 2010 (ASFV-G). As reported, ASFV-G-Δ9GL/ΔUK induces protection, while intramuscularly (IM), administered at doses of 104 HAD50 or higher, prevents ASF clinical disease in animals infected with the homologous ASFV g strain. Like other recombinant vaccine candidates obtained from ASFV field isolates, ASFV-G-Δ9GL/ΔUK stocks need to be produced in primary cultures of swine macrophages, which constitutes an important limitation in the production of large virus stocks at the industrial level. Here, we describe the development of ASFV-G-Δ9GL/ΔUK stocks using IPKM (Immortalized Porcine Kidney Macrophage) cells, which are derived from swine macrophages. We show that ten successive passages of ASFV-G-Δ9GL/ΔUK in IPKM cells induced small changes in the virus genome. The produced virus, ASFV-G-Δ9GL/ΔUKp10, presented a similar level of replication in swine macrophages cultures to that of the original ASFV-G-Δ9GL/ΔUK (ASFV-G-Δ9GL/ΔUKp0). The protective efficacy of ASFV-G-Δ9GL/ΔUKp10 was evaluated in pigs that were IM-inoculated with either 104 or 106 HAD50 of ASFV-G-Δ9GL/ΔUKp10. While animals inoculated with 104 HAD50 present a partial protection against the experimental infection with the virulent parental virus ASFV-G, those inoculated with 106 HAD50 were completely protected. Therefore, as was just recently reported for another ASF vaccine candidate, ASFV-G-ΔI177L, IPKM cells are an effective alternative to produce stocks for vaccine strains which only grow in swine macrophages.

Novel technologies are turning a dream into reality: conditionally replicating viruses as vaccines

Conditionally replicating viruses (CRVs) are a type of virus with one or more essential gene functions that are impaired resulting in the disruption of viral genome replication, protein synthesis, or virus particle assembly. CRVs can replicate only if the deficient essential genes are supplied. CRVs are widely used in biomedical research, particularly as vaccines. Traditionally, CRVs are generated by creating complementary cell lines that provide the impaired genes. With the development of biotechnology, novel techniques have been invented to generate CRVs, such as targeted protein degradation (TPD) technologies and premature termination codon (PTC) read-through technologies. The advantages and disadvantages of these novel technologies are discussed. Finally, we provide perspectives on what challenges need to be overcome for CRVs to reach the market.

In vitro SELEX and application of an African swine fever virus (ASFV) p30 protein specific aptamer

The African swine fever virus (ASFV) has caused severe economic losses in the pig industry. To monitor ASFV spread, the p30 protein has been identified as an ideal infection marker due to its early and long-term expression during the ASFV infection period. Timely monitoring of ASFV p30 enables the detection of ASFV infection and assessment of disease progression. Aptamers are an outstanding substitute for antibodies to develop an efficient tool for ASFV p30 protein detection. In this study, a series of aptamer candidates were screened by in vitro magnetic bead-based systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (MB-SELEX). An aptamer (Atc-20) finally showed high specificity and affinity (Kd = 140 ± 10 pM) against ASFV p30 protein after truncation and affinity assessment. Furthermore, an aptamer/antibody heterogeneous sandwich detection assay was designed based on Atc20, achieving a linear detection of ASFV p30 ranging from 8 to 125 ng/ml and a detection limit (LOD) of 0.61 ng/ml. This assay showed good analytical performances and effectively detected p30 protein in diluted serum samples, presenting promising potential for the development of ASFV biosensors.

Lumpy skin disease virus ORF127 protein suppresses type I interferon responses by inhibiting K63-linked ubiquitination of tank binding kinase 1

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a severe animal infectious disease caused by lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), inducing extensive nodules on the cattle mucosa or the scarfskin. LSDV genome encodes multiple proteins to evade host innate immune response. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. In this study, we found that LSDV could suppress the expression of IFN-β and interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) in MDBK cells during the early stage of infection. Subsequently, an unbiased screen was performed to screen the LSDV genes with inhibitory effects on the type I interferon (IFN-I) production. ORF127 protein was identified as one of the strongest inhibitory effectors on the expression of IFN-β and ISGs, meanwhile, the 1-43 aa of N-terminal of ORF127 played a vital role in suppressing the expression of IFN-β. Overexpression of ORF127 could significantly promote LSDV replication through inhibiting the production of IFN-β and ISGs in MDBK cells. Mechanism study showed that ORF127 specifically interacted with TBK1 and decreased the K63-linked polyubiquitination of TBK1 which suppressed the phosphorylation of TBK1 and ultimately decreased the production of IFN-β. In addition, truncation mutation analysis indicated that the 1-43 aa of N-terminal of ORF127 protein was the key structural domain for its interaction with TBK1. In short, these results validated that ORF127 played a negative role in regulating IFN-β expression through cGAS-STING signaling pathway. Taken together, this study clarified the molecular mechanism of ORF127 gene antagonizing IFN-I-mediated antiviral, which will helpfully provide new strategies for the treatment and prevention of LSD.

Optimizing Vaccination Strategies against African Swine Fever Using Spatial Data from Wild Boars in Lithuania

African swine fever (ASF) is one of the most severe suid diseases, impacting the pig industry and wild suid populations. Once an ASF vaccine is available, identifying a sufficient density of vaccination fields will be crucial to achieve eradication success. In 2020-2023, we live-trapped and monitored 27 wild boars in different areas of Lithuania, in which the wild boars were fed at artificial stations. We built a simulation study to estimate the probability of a successful ASF vaccination as a function of different eco-epidemiological factors. The average 32-day home range size across all individuals was 16.2 km2 (SD = 16.9). The wild boars made frequent visits of short durations to the feeding sites rather than long visits interposed by long periods of absence. A feeding site density of 0.5/km2 corresponded to an expected vaccination rate of only 20%. The vaccination probability increased to about 75% when the feeding site density was 1.0/km2. Our results suggest that at least one vaccination field/km2 should be used when planning an ASF vaccination campaign to ensure that everyone in the population has at least 5-10 vaccination sites available inside the home range. Similar studies should be conducted in the other ecological contexts in which ASF is present today or will be present in the future, with the objective being to estimate a context-specific relationship between wild boar movement patterns and an optimal vaccination strategy.

Bacillus subtilis partially inhibits African swine fever virus infection in vivo and in vitro based on its metabolites arctiin and genistein interfering with the function of viral topoisomerase II

IMPORTANCE

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a highly fatal swine disease that severely affects the pig industry. Although ASFV has been prevalent for more than 100 years, effective vaccines or antiviral strategies are still lacking. In this study, we identified four Bacillus subtilis strains that inhibited ASFV proliferation in vitro. Pigs fed with liquid biologics or powders derived from four B. subtilis strains mixed with pellet feed showed reduced morbidity and mortality when challenged with ASFV. Further analysis showed that the antiviral activity of B. subtilis was based on its metabolites arctiin and genistein interfering with the function of viral topoisomerase II. Our findings offer a promising new strategy for the prevention and control of ASFV that may significantly alleviate the economic losses in the pig industry.

African Swine Fever Virus H240R Protein Inhibits the Production of Type I Interferon through Disrupting the Oligomerization of STING

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious and acute hemorrhagic viral disease in domestic pigs and wild boars. Domestic pigs infected with virulent African swine fever virus (ASFV) isolates have a high mortality, approaching 100%. Identification of ASFV genes related to virulence/pathogenicity and deletion of them are considered to be key steps in the development of live attenuated vaccines, because the ability of ASFV to escape host innate immune responses is related to viral pathogenicity. However, the relationship between the host antiviral innate immune responses and the pathogenic genes of ASFV has not been fully understood. In this study, the ASFV H240R protein (pH240R), a capsid protein of ASFV, was found to inhibit type I interferon (IFN) production. Mechanistically, pH240R interacted with the N-terminal transmembrane domain of stimulator of interferon genes (STING) and inhibited its oligomerization and translocation from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi apparatus. Additionally, pH240R inhibited the phosphorylation of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) and TANK binding kinase 1 (TBK1), leading to reduced production of type I IFN. Consistent with these results, infection with H240R-deficient ASFV (ASFV-ΔH240R) induced more type I IFN than infection with its parental strain, ASFV HLJ/18. We also found that pH240R may enhance viral replication via inhibition of type I IFN production and the antiviral effect of interferon alpha (IFN-α). Taken together, our findings provide a new explanation for the reduction of ASFV's replication ability by knockout of the H240R gene and a clue for the development of live attenuated ASFV vaccines. IMPORTANCE African swine fever (ASF), caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV), is a highly contagious and acute hemorrhagic viral disease with a high mortality, approaching 100% in domestic pigs. However, the relationship between viral pathogenicity and immune evasion of ASFV is not fully understood, which limits the development of safe and effective ASF vaccines, specifically, live attenuated vaccines. In this study, we found that pH240R, as a potent antagonist, inhibited type I IFN production by targeting STING and inhibiting its oligomerization and translocation from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi apparatus. Furthermore, we also found that deletion of the H240R gene reduced viral pathogenicity by enhancing type I IFN production, which decreases ASFV replication. Taken together, our findings provide a clue for the development of an ASFV live attenuated vaccine via deleting the H240R gene.

Bridging the Gap: Can COVID-19 Research Help Combat African Swine Fever?

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious and economically devastating disease affecting domestic pigs and wild boar, caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV). Despite being harmless to humans, ASF poses significant challenges to the swine industry, due to sudden losses and trade restrictions. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has spurred an unparalleled global research effort, yielding remarkable advancements across scientific disciplines. In this review, we explore the potential technological spillover from COVID-19 research into ASF. Specifically, we assess the applicability of the diagnostic tools, vaccine development strategies, and biosecurity measures developed for COVID-19 for combating ASF. Additionally, we discuss the lessons learned from the pandemic in terms of surveillance systems and their implications for managing ASF. By bridging the gap between COVID-19 and ASF research, we highlight the potential for interdisciplinary collaboration and technological spillovers in the battle against ASF.

B602L-Fc fusion protein enhances the immunogenicity of the B602L protein of the African swine fever virus

African swine fever (ASF) is an acute, highly contagious, and deadly infectious disease caused by the African swine fever virus (ASFV) and has a huge impact on the pig industry. A lack of vaccines and effective therapeutic drugs has brought great challenges to the prevention and control of ASF. In this study, insect baculovirus expression system was used to express ASFV B602L protein (B602L) alone and the IgG FC-fused B602L protein (B602L-Fc), and evaluate the immune effect of B602L-Fc in mice model. To be specific, the ASFV B602L protein and B602L-Fc fusion protein were successfully expressed by the insect baculovirus expression system. Then, Functional analysis in vitro revealed that the B602L-Fc fusion protein bound and interacted with the FcRI receptor of antigen-presenting cells and significantly promoted the expression of proteins involved in antigen presentation and various cytokines at mRNA levels in porcine alveolar macrophages. Additionally, immunization using B602L-Fc fusion protein remarkably promoted the Th1-biased cellular immune response and humoral immune response in mice. In conclusion, The B602L-Fc fusion protein could up-regulate the expression of molecules involved in antigen presentation in APCs and enhance the humoral and cellular immune responses in mice. These results suggest that ASFV B602L-Fc recombinant fusion protein may be a promising candidate for subunit vaccine. This study provided useful data for the development of subunit vaccines for ASF.

Evaluation of humoral and cellular immune responses induced by a cocktail of recombinant African swine fever virus antigens fused with OprI in domestic pigs

BACKGROUND

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly fatal disease in domestic pigs caused by ASF virus (ASFV), for which there is currently no commercial vaccine available. The genome of ASFV encodes more than 150 proteins, some of which have been included in subunit vaccines but only induce limited protection against ASFV challenge.

METHODS

To enhance immune responses induced by ASFV proteins, we expressed and purified three fusion proteins with each consisting of bacterial lipoprotein OprI, 2 different ASFV proteins/epitopes and a universal CD4⁺ T cell epitope, namely OprI-p30-modified p54-TT, OprI-p72 epitopes-truncated pE248R-TT, and OprI-truncated CD2v-truncated pEP153R-TT. The immunostimulatory activity of these recombinant proteins was first assessed on dendritic cells. Then, humoral and cellular immunity induced by these three OprI-fused proteins cocktail formulated with ISA206 adjuvant (O-Ags-T formulation) were assessed in pigs.

RESULTS

The OprI-fused proteins activated dendritic cells with elevated secretion of proinflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, the O-Ags-T formulation elicited a high level of antigen-specific IgG responses and interferon-γ-secreting CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells after stimulation in vitro. Importantly, the sera and peripheral blood mononuclear cells from pigs vaccinated with the O-Ags-T formulation respectively reduced ASFV infection in vitro by 82.8% and 92.6%.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that the OprI-fused proteins cocktail formulated with ISA206 adjuvant induces robust ASFV-specific humoral and cellular immune responses in pigs. Our study provides valuable information for the further development of subunit vaccines against ASF.

Deletion of DP148R, DP71L, and DP96R Attenuates African Swine Fever Virus, and the Mutant Strain Confers Complete Protection against Homologous Challenges in Pigs

The African swine fever virus (ASFV) has caused a devastating pandemic in domestic and wild swine, causing economic losses to the global swine industry. Recombinant live attenuated vaccines are an attractive option for ASFV treatment. However, safe and effective vaccines against ASFV are still scarce, and more high-quality experimental vaccine strains need to be developed. In this study, we revealed that deletion of the ASFV genes DP148R, DP71L, and DP96R from the highly virulent isolate ASFV CN/GS/2018 (ASFV-GS) substantially attenuated virulence in swine. Pigs infected with 104 50% hemadsorbing doses of the virus with these gene deletions remained healthy during the 19-day observation period. No ASFV infection was detected in contact pigs under the experimental conditions. Importantly, the inoculated pigs were protected against homologous challenges. Additionally, RNA sequence analysis showed that deletion of these viral genes induced significant upregulation of the host histone H3.1 gene (H3.1) and downregulation of the ASFV MGF110-7L gene. Knocking down the expression of H3.1 resulted in high levels of ASFV replication in primary porcine macrophages in vitro. These findings indicate that the deletion mutant virus ASFV-GS-Δ18R/NL/UK is a novel potential live attenuated vaccine candidate and one of the few experimental vaccine strains reported to induce full protection against the highly virulent ASFV-GS virus strain. IMPORTANCE Ongoing outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF) have considerably damaged the pig industry in affected countries. Thus, a safe and effective vaccine is important to control African swine fever spread. Here, an ASFV strain with three gene deletions was developed by knocking out the viral genes DP148R (MGF360-18R), NL (DP71L), and UK (DP96R). The results showed that the recombinant virus was completely attenuated in pigs and provided strong protection against parental virus challenge. Additionally, no viral genomes were detected in the sera of pigs housed with animals infected with the deletion mutant. Furthermore, transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis revealed significant upregulation of histone H3.1 in virus-infected macrophage cultures and downregulation of the ASFV MGF110-7L gene after viral DP148R, UK, and NL deletion. Our study provides a valuable live attenuated vaccine candidate and potential gene targets for developing strategies for anti-ASFV treatment.

ASFV proteins presented at the surface of T7 phages induce strong antibody responses in mice

African swine fever virus (ASFV) infection causes substantial economic losses to the swine industry worldwide, and there are still no safe and effective vaccines or therapeutics available. The granulated virus antigen improves the antigen present process and elicits high antibody reaction than the subunit antigen. In this study, the SpyTag peptide-p10 fusion protein was altered and displayed on the surface of the T7 phage to construct an engineered phage (T7-ST). At the same time, ASFV antigen-Spycatcher C-terminal-fused protein (antigen-SC) was expressed and purified by an E. coli prokaryotic expression system. Five virus-like particles (VLPs) displaying the main ASFV antigenic proteins P30, P54, P72, CD2v, and K145R were reconstructed by the isopeptide bond between SpyTag and antigen-SC proteins. The stability of five ASFV VLPs in high temperature and extreme pH conditions was evaluated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and plaque analysis. All ASFV VLPs induced a high titer antigen-specific antibody response in mice. Our results showed that the granulated antigen displaying ASFV protein on the surface of the T7 phage provides a robust potential vaccine and diagnostic tool to address the challenge of the ASFV pandemic.

Multiple-probe-assisted DNA capture and amplification for high-throughput African swine fever virus detection

African swine fever (ASF) is one of the most devastating infectious diseases affecting domestic pigs and wild boar. The grave socio-economic impact of African swine fever infection at a global level makes large-scale rapid and robust diagnosis a critical step towards effective control. Here, we describe multiple-probe-assisted DNA capture and amplification technology (MADCAT) - a novel, sensitive, simple, and high-throughput method for detecting ASFV directly from whole blood or other complex matrices. Through a unique DNA capture approach which specifically captures the target DNA onto 96-well plate for subsequent amplification, MADCAT abandons the complicated extraction protocol and achieves ultrafast and high-throughput detection. The sample-to-result time for 96 samples is about 90 min, as compared with the 3-4 h time of the conventional real-time qPCR method. The limit of detection (LOD) of MADCAT is 0.5 copies/μL blood and is 5 times more sensitive than an extraction-based qPCR assay when testing serially diluted whole blood samples. The assay is 100% specific against other common swine pathogens. In the clinical diagnosis of 96 field samples, all 22 positive samples were correctly identified with lower Ct values than extraction-based qPCR, confirming its high diagnostic sensitivity (100%). Owing to its high-throughput, specific high sensitivity, and direct detection features, MADCAT shows great potential for use in large-scale ASFV surveillance and monitoring for effective disease control. KEY POINTS: • No nucleic acid extraction, 100% capture efficiency, and high-throughput • Ultra-high sensitivity of 0.5 DNA copies/μL or 6 DNA copies/reaction • The sample-to-answer time for 96 samples is about 90 min.

Orally administered recombinant Lactobacillus expressing African swine fever virus antigens that induced immunity responses

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious, acute, febrile disease caused by the African swine fever virus (ASFV), with morbidity and mortality rates approaching 100% in domestic and wild swine, resulting in massive economic losses to the pig industry worldwide. This study aimed to express the p30, p54, and p72 proteins encoded by ASFV in vitro using the Lactobacillus lactis (L. lactis) expression system. Here, six new functional recombinant L. lactis were constructed, and the expression of the p30 protein, p54 protein, p72 protein, p30-LTB (heat-labile enterotoxin B, LTB) fusion protein, p54-LTB fusion protein, and the p72-LTB fusion protein was successfully detected by Western blot analysis. Following oral immunization of rabbits with recombinant L. lactis, serum IgG, intestinal mucosal sIgA, cytokines (IL-4 and INF-γ), and splenocyte viability were higher than in the control group via ELISA. Notably, without the LTB adjuvant group, humoral and Th1 cellular immunity were promoted, whereas, with the LTB adjuvant group, local mucosal immunity, humoral immunity, and Th2 cellular immunity were promoted, providing new insights into the design and development of an ASFV subunit vaccine.

Development of a Competitive Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay Targeting the-p30 Protein for Detection of Antibodies against African Swine Fever Virus

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious hemorrhagic viral disease of domestic and wild pigs of all breeds and ages, caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV). Due to the absence of a safe and efficacious vaccine, accurate laboratory diagnosis is critical for the control of ASF prevention. The p30 protein is immunogenic and stimulates a high level of antibody response to ASFV infection. We developed a panel of 4 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against p30 protein, and mAb-2B4 showed the highest percent of inhibition (PI) of 70% in the solid phase blocking ELISA (bELISA). Epitope mapping revealed the mAb-2B4 recognized the epitope of aa 12-18 of p30, which is conserved among various ASFV genotypes. Subsequently, a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) was established using HRP-labeled mAb-2B4. The cutoff for discrimination between 98 negative sera and 40 positive sera against ASFV was determined by plotting a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. It yielded the area under the curve (AUC) of 0.998, and a diagnostic specificity of 97.96% and a sensitivity of 97.5% were achieved when the cutoff value was determined at 37.1%. Furthermore, the results showed an excellent repeatability of the established cELISA and no cross-reaction to antisera against six other pig pathogens. Additionally, the cELISA detected a titer of 1:256 in the positive standard serum. Overall, mAb-2B4 showed a conserved epitope and high ability to be inhibited by positive sera in ASFV antibody detection. The cELISA based on HRP-labeled mAb-2B4 offers an alternative to other assays for a broader diagnostic coverage of ASFV infection.

A useful tool for the safe diagnosis and control of the two main pandemics of the XXI century: COVID-19 and African Swine Fever disease

The COVID-19 pandemic and the disease triggered by the African Swine Fever virus are currently two of the main problems regarding public and animal health, respectively. Although vaccination seems to be the ideal tool for controlling these diseases, it has several limitations. Therefore, early detection of the pathogen is critical in order to apply preventive and control measures. Real-time PCR is the main technique used for the detection of both viruses, which requires previous processing of the infectious material. If the potentially infected sample is inactivated at the time of sampling, the diagnosis will be accelerated, impacting positively on the diagnosis and control of the disease. Here, we evaluated the inactivation and preservation properties of a new surfactant liquid for non-invasive and environmental sampling of both viruses. Our results demonstrated that the surfactant liquid effectively inactivates SARS-CoV-2 and African Swine Fever virus in only five minutes, and allows for the preservation of the genetic material for long periods even at high temperatures such as 37°C. Hence, this methodology is a safe and useful tool for recovering SARS-CoV-2 and African Swine Fever virus RNA/DNA from different surfaces and skins, which has significant applied relevance in the surveillance of both diseases.

Vaccines for African swine fever: an update

African swine fever (ASF) is a fatal infectious disease of swine caused by the African swine fever virus (ASFV). Currently, the disease is listed as a legally notifiable disease that must be reported to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH). The economic losses to the global pig industry have been insurmountable since the outbreak of ASF. Control and eradication of ASF are very critical during the current pandemic. Vaccination is the optimal strategy to prevent and control the ASF epidemic, but since inactivated ASFV vaccines have poor immune protection and there aren't enough cell lines for efficient in vitro ASFV replication, an ASF vaccine with high immunoprotective potential still remains to be explored. Knowledge of the course of disease evolution, the way of virus transmission, and the breakthrough point of vaccine design will facilitate the development of an ASF vaccine. In this review, the paper aims to highlight the recent advances and breakthroughs in the epidemic and transmission of ASF, virus mutation, and the development of vaccines in recent years, focusing on future directions and trends.

O-2-Alkylated Cytosine Acyclic Nucleoside Phosphonamidate Prodrugs Display Pan-Genotype Antiviral Activity against African Swine Fever Virus

African swine fever virus (ASFV) causes a highly contagious hemorrhagic disease with case fatality rates approaching 100% in domestic pigs. ASFV is responsible for substantial economic losses, but despite ongoing efforts, no vaccine or antiviral agent is currently available. Attempts to control the spread of ASFV are dependent on early detection, adherence to biosecurity measures, and culling of infected herds. However, an effective antiviral agent may be used in lieu of or in conjunction with a vaccine to effectively curb ASFV outbreaks. The dose-dependent antiviral activities of two amidate prodrugs (compounds 1a and 1b) of O-2-alkylated 3-fluoro-2-(phosphonomethoxy)propyl cytosine [(R)-O-2-alkylated FPMPC] against ASFV isolates of four different genotypes were determined. Both compounds were found to inhibit ASFV progeny virus output by >90% at noncytotoxic concentrations (<25 μM) in primary porcine macrophages. Analysis of viral transcription and viral protein synthesis indicated that these acyclic nucleotide analogues inhibited late gene expression. Interestingly, time-of-addition studies suggest different viral targets of the compounds, which may be attributed to their differing amino acid prodrug moieties. In view of their promising antiviral activity, these nucleotide analogues merit further evaluation as potential prophylactic and/or therapeutic agents against ASFV infection and their antiviral efficacy in vivo should be considered. IMPORTANCE African swine fever virus is a highly contagious hemorrhagic viral disease. Since its transcontinental spread to Georgia in 2007, ASFV has continued to spread across the globe into countries previously without infection. It is responsible for substantial losses in the domestic pig population and presents a significant threat to the global swine industry. Despite ongoing efforts, there are no vaccines currently available; in their absence, antiviral agents may be a viable alternative. The significance of our research is in identifying the pan-genotype antiviral activity of prodrugs of O-2-alkylated 3-fluoro-2-(phosphonomethoxy)propyl cytosine, which will drive further research on the development of these compounds as antivirals against ASFV.

A triton X-100 assisted PMAxx-qPCR assay for rapid assessment of infectious African swine fever virus

Introduction

African Swine Fever (ASF) is a highly infectious disease of pigs, caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV). The lack of vaccines and drugs makes strict disinfection practices to be one of the main measurements to curb the transmission of ASF. Therefore, it is important to assess if all viruses are inactivated after disinfection or after long time exposure in their natural conditions. Currently, the infectivity of ASFV is determined by virus isolation and culture in a biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) laboratory. However, BSL-3 laboratories are not readily available, need skilled expertise and may be time consuming.

Methods

In this study, a Triton X-100 assisted PMAxx-qPCR method was developed for rapid assessment of infectious ASFV in samples. PMAxx, an improved version of propidium monoazide (PMA), can covalently cross-link with naked ASFV-DNA or DNA inside inactivated ASFV virions under assistance of 0.1% (v/v) TritonX-100, but not with ASFV-DNA inside live virions. Formation of PMAxx-DNA conjugates prevents PCR amplification, leaving only infectious virions to be detected. Under optimum conditions, the limit of detection of the PMAxx-qPCR assay was 2.32log₁₀HAD₅₀/mL of infectious ASFV. Testing different samples showed that the PMAxx-qPCR assay was effective to evaluate intact ASFV virions after treatment by heat or chemical disinfectants and in simulated samples such as swine tissue homogenate, swine saliva swabs, and environmental swabs. However, whole-blood and saliva need to be diluted before testing because they may inhibit the PCR reaction or the cross-linking of PMAxx with DNA.

Conclusion

The Triton X-100 assisted PMAxx-qPCR assay took less than 3 h from sample to result, offering an easier and faster way for assessing infectious ASFV in samples from places like pig farms and pork markets.

Development of a quadruple PCR-based gene microarray for detection of vaccine and wild-type classical swine fever virus, African swine fever virus and atypical porcine pestivirus

BACKGROUND

Classical swine fever (CSF), African swine fever (ASF), and atypical porcine pestivirus (APPV) are acute, virulent, and contagious viral diseases currently hampering the pig industry in China, which result in mummification or stillbirths in piglets and mortality in pigs. Diagnostic assays for the differentiation of infection and vaccination of CSFV, in addition to the detection of ASFV and APPV, are urgently required for better prevention, control, and elimination of these viral diseases in China.

METHODS

A quadruple PCR-based gene microarray assay was developed in this study to simultaneously detect wild-type and vaccine CSFV strains, ASFV and APPV according to their conserved regions. Forty-two laboratory-confirmed samples, including positive samples of 10 other swine viral diseases, were tested using this assay to confirm its high specificity.

RESULTS

This assay's limit of detections (LODs) for the wild-type and vaccine CSFV were 6.98 and 6.92 copies/µL. LODs for ASFV and APPV were 2.56 × 10 and 1.80 × 10 copies/µL, respectively. When compared with standard RT-PCR or qPCR for CSFV (GB/T 26875-2018), ASFV (MARR issue No.172), or APPV (CN108611442A) using 219 clinical samples, the coincidence was 100%. The results showed that this assay with high sensitivity could specifically distinguish ASFV, APPV, and CSFV, including CSFV infection and immunization.

CONCLUSION

This assay provides a practical, simple, economic, and reliable test for the rapid detection and accurate diagnosis of the three viruses and may have good prospects for application in an epidemiological investigation, prevention, and control and elimination of these three diseases.

African Swine Fever Modified Live Vaccine Candidates: Transitioning from Discovery to Product Development through Harmonized Standards and Guidelines

The recent centennial anniversary of R.E. Montgomery's seminal published description of "a form of swine fever" disease transmitted from wild African pigs to European domestic pigs is a call to action to accelerate African Swine Fever (ASF) vaccine research and development. ASF modified live virus (MLV) first-generation gene deleted vaccine candidates currently offer the most promise to meet international and national guidelines and regulatory requirements for veterinary product licensure and market authorization. A major, rate-limiting impediment to the acceleration of current as well as future vaccine candidates into regulatory development is the absence of internationally harmonized standards for assessing vaccine purity, potency, safety, and efficacy. This review summarizes the asymmetrical landscape of peer-reviewed published literature on ASF MLV vaccine approaches and lead candidates, primarily studied to date in the research laboratory in proof-of-concept or early feasibility clinical safety and efficacy studies. Initial recommendations are offered toward eventual consensus of international harmonized guidelines and standards for ASF MLV vaccine purity, potency, safety, and efficacy. To help ensure the successful regulatory development and approval of ASF MLV first generation vaccines by national regulatory associated government agencies, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) establishment and publication of harmonized international guidelines is paramount.

Development and characterization of monoclonal antibodies against the extracellular domain of African swine fever virus structural protein, CD2v

African swine fever virus (ASFV), a DNA double-stranded virus with high infectivity and mortality, causing a devastating blow to the pig industry and the world economy. The CD2v protein is an essential immunoprotective protein of ASFV. In this study, we expressed the extracellular region of the CD2v protein in the 293F expression system to achieve proper glycosylation. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were prepared by immunizing mice with the recombinant CD2v protein. Eventually, four mAbs that target the extracellular region of the ASFV CD2v protein were obtained. All four mAbs responded well to the ASFV HLJ/18 strain and recognized the same linear epitope, 154SILE157. The specific shortest amino acid sequence of this epitope has been accurately identified for the first time. Meaningfully, the 154SILE157 epitope was highly conformed in the ASFV Chinese epidemic strain and Georgia2008/1 strains according to the analysis of the conservation and have a fair protective effect. These findings contribute to further understanding of the protein function of CD2v and provide potential support for the development of diagnostic tools and vaccines for ASFV.

Identification of novel linear epitopes in P72 protein of African swine fever virus recognized by monoclonal antibodies

African swine fever (ASF) is one of the highly contagious and lethal diseases among domestic pigs and wild boars. The capsid protein P72 of African swine fever virus (ASFV) is very important for the diagnosis and vaccine development. However, the epitope of the protein is not clear. In this study, capsid protein P72 was expressed in Sf9 cells along with its chaperone B602L. A total of ten monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) specific to P72 protein were developed by fusions between SP2/0 cells and spleen cells of mice immunized with the recombinant-P72&B602L proteins expressed in Sf9 cells. Four linear B cell epitopes 31SNIKNVNKSY40, 41GKPDP45, 56HLVHFNAH63 and 185ERLYE189 were identified. Biological information analysis illustrated that epitopes 31SNIKNVNKSY40, 41GKPDP45 and 185ERLYE189 were highly conserved within different ASFV strains. These findings may lead to a better understanding of the antibody-antigen interaction and provide new insights into the vaccine research and serological diagnosis of ASF.

Modulation of Host Antiviral Innate Immunity by African Swine Fever Virus: A Review

African swine fever (ASF), caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV), is a highly contagious and fatal disease found in swine. However, the viral proteins and mechanisms responsible for immune evasion are poorly understood, which has severely hindered the development of vaccines. This review mainly focuses on studies involving the innate antiviral immune response of the host and summarizes the latest studies on ASFV genes involved in interferon (IFN) signaling and inflammatory responses. We analyzed the effects of candidate viral proteins on ASFV infection, replication and pathogenicity and identified potential molecular targets for novel ASFV vaccines. These efforts will contribute to the construction of novel vaccines and wonder therapeutics for ASF.

Development of an Effective Double Antigen Sandwich ELISA Based on p30 Protein to Detect Antibodies against African Swine Fever Virus

African swine fever (ASF), the highly lethal swine infectious disease caused by the African swine fever virus (ASFV), is a great threat to the swine industry. There is no effective vaccine or diagnostic method to prevent and control this disease currently. The p30 protein of ASFV is an important target for serological diagnosis, expressed in the early stage of viral replication and has high immunogenicity and sequence conservatism. Here, the CP204L gene was cloned into the expression vector pET-30a (+), and the soluble p30 protein was successfully expressed in the E. coli prokaryotic expression system and then labeled with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) to be the enzyme-labeled antigen. Using the purified recombinant p30 protein, a double-antigen sandwich ELISA for ASFV antibody detection was developed. This method exhibits excellent specificity, sensitivity and reproducibility in clinical sample detection with lower cost and shorter production cycles. Taken together, this study provides technical support for antibody detection for ASFV.

Detection of African swine fever virus antibodies in serum using a pB602L protein-based indirect ELISA

African Swine Fever (ASF) is an acute, highly contagious and deadly infectious disease that has a huge impact on the swine industry. It is caused by the African swine fever virus (ASFV). The most acute forms of ASF in domestic pigs have mortality rates of up to 100%. The lack of a commercial vaccine and effective therapeutic drugs has brought great challenges to the prevention and control of ASF. Current, the African swine fever virus requires a huge amount of detection, so there is a need for more sensitive and accurate detection technology. The protein pB602L, as a late non-structural protein, has a high corresponding antibody titer and strong antigenicity in infected swine. In this research, the B602L gene was constructed into the pColdI prokaryotic expression vector, and prokaryotic expression of the soluble pB602L protein was induced by IPTG. Western blot analysis demonstrated that the protein had strong immunogenicity. We established an indirect ELISA method for the detection of anti-ASFV using purified recombinant pB602L protein as antigen. The detection method showed excellent specificity without cross-reactions with antibodies against PRRSV, CSFV, JEV, and GETV. The method could detect anti-ASFV in serum samples that were diluted up to 6,400 times, showing high sensitivity. The coefficients of variation of the intra-assay and inter-assay were both &lt;10%. The assays had excellent specificity, sensitivity, and repeatability. In summary, we developed an accurate, rapid, and economical method for the detection of anti-ASFV in pig serum samples with great potential for ASF monitoring and epidemic control.

Ecological niche modeling based on ensemble algorithms to predicting current and future potential distribution of African swine fever virus in China

African swine fever (ASF) is a tick-borne infectious disease initially described in Shenyang province China in 2018 but is now currently present nationwide. ASF has high infectivity and mortality rates, which often results in transportation and trade bans, and high expenses to prevent and control the, hence causing huge economic losses and a huge negative impact on the Chinese pig farming industry. Ecological niche modeling has long been adopted in the epidemiology of infectious diseases, in particular vector-borne diseases. This study aimed to establish an ecological niche model combined with data from ASF incidence rates in China from August 2018 to December 2021 in order to predict areas for African swine fever virus (ASFV) distribution in China. The model was developed in R software using the biomod2 package and ensemble modeling techniques. Environmental and topographic variables included were mean diurnal range (°C), isothermality, mean temperature of wettest quarter (°C), precipitation seasonality (cv), mean precipitation of warmest quarter(mm), mean precipitation of coldest quarter (mm), normalized difference vegetation index, wind speed (m/s), solar radiation (kJ /day), and elevation/altitude (m). Contribution rates of the variables normalized difference vegetation index, mean temperature of wettest quarter, mean precipitation of coldest quarter, and mean precipitation of warmest quarter were, respectively, 47.61%, 28.85%, 10.85%, and 7.27% (according to CA), which accounted for over 80% of contribution rates related to variables. According to model prediction, most of areas revealed as suitable for ASF distribution are located in the southeast coast or central region of China, wherein environmental conditions are suitable for soft ticks’ survival. In contrast, areas unsuitable for ASFV distribution in China are associated with arid climate and poor vegetation, which are less conducive to soft ticks’ survival, hence to ASFV transmission. In addition, prediction spatial suitability for future ASFV distribution suggests narrower areas for ASFV spread. Thus, the ensemble model designed herein could be used to conceive more efficient prevention and control measure against ASF according to different geographical locations in China.

A triplex real-time PCR method to detect African swine fever virus gene-deleted and wild type strains

Currently there is still no effective vaccines and drugs available for African swine fever virus (ASFV), a life-threatening virus to domestic pigs and wild boars. Therefore, accurate diagnosis is important for the prevention and control of the virus. In this study, we developed a triplex real-time PCR method to detect and differentiate ASFV gene-deleted and wild type strains based on three viral genes B646L, MGF_360-14L gene, and CD2v. Standard curves plotted showed that there was a strong linear correlation (R2 &gt; 0.99) between Ct values and the corresponding copy numbers of synthesized standard plasmids. The detection limits of the method for B646L, MGF_360-14L, and CD2v were 78.9, 47.0, and 82.1 copies/μl, respectively. Detection results of different types of swine viruses showed that the method only gave amplification curves to ASFV. Finally, we found the triplex real-time PCR method developed in this study displayed better results on detecting the laboratory sample mocks, and it could be used as a supplemental method to detect ASFV genotype I strains. These findings suggest that the triplex real-time PCR method developed in this study have good specificity and sensitivity. This triplex real-time PCR method might also represent an effective tool for the detection of ASFV gene-deleted and wild type strains.

African Swine Fever Vaccinology: The Biological Challenges from Immunological Perspectives

African swine fever virus (ASFV), a nucleocytoplasmic large DNA virus (NCLDV), causes African swine fever (ASF), an acute hemorrhagic disease with mortality rates up to 100% in domestic pigs. ASF is currently epidemic or endemic in many countries and threatening the global swine industry. Extensive ASF vaccine research has been conducted since the 1920s. Like inactivated viruses of other NCLDVs, such as vaccinia virus, inactivated ASFV vaccine candidates did not induce protective immunity. However, inactivated lumpy skin disease virus (poxvirus) vaccines are protective in cattle. Unlike some experimental poxvirus subunit vaccines that induced protection, ASF subunit vaccine candidates implemented with various platforms containing several ASFV structural genes or proteins failed to protect pigs effectively. Only some live attenuated viruses (LAVs) are able to protect pigs with high degrees of efficacy. There are currently several LAV ASF vaccine candidates. Only one commercial LAV vaccine is approved for use in Vietnam. LAVs, as ASF vaccines, have not yet been widely tested. Reports thus far show that the onset and duration of protection induced by the LAVs are late and short, respectively, compared to LAV vaccines for other diseases. In this review, the biological challenges in the development of ASF vaccines, especially subunit platforms, are discussed from immunological perspectives based on several unusual ASFV characteristics shared with HIV and poxviruses. These characteristics, including multiple distinct infectious virions, extremely high glycosylation and low antigen surface density of envelope proteins, immune evasion, and possible apoptotic mimicry, could pose enormous challenges to the development of ASF vaccines, especially subunit platforms designed to induce humoral immunity.

K205R specific nanobody-horseradish peroxidase fusions as reagents of competitive ELISA to detect African swine fever virus serum antibodies

Background

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a highly contagious hemorrhagic disease and often lethal, which has significant economic consequences for the swine industry. Due to lacking of commercial vaccine, the prevention and control of ASF largely depend on early large-scale detection and screening. So far, the commercial ELISA kits have a long operation time and are expensive, making it difficult to achieve large-scale clinical applications. Nanobodies are single-domain antibodies produced by camelid animals, and have unique advantages such as smaller molecular weight, easy genetic engineering modification and low-costing of mass production, thus exhibiting good application prospects.

Results

The present study developed a new method for detection of ASFV specific antibodies using nanobody-horseradish peroxidase (Nb-HRP) fusion proteins as probe. By using camel immunization, phage library construction and phage display technology, five nanobodies against K205R protein were screened. Then, Nb-HRP fusion proteins were produced using genetic modification technology. Based on the Nb-HRP fusion protein as specific antibodies against K205R protein, a new type of cELISA was established to detect ASFV antibodies in pig serum. The cut-off value of the cELISA was 34.8%, and its sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility were good. Furthermore, the developed cELISA exhibited 99.3% agreement rate with the commercial available ELISA kit (kappa value = 0.98).

Conclusions

The developed cELISA method has the advantages of simple operation, rapid and low-costing, and can be used for monitoring of ASFV infection in pigs, thus providing a new method for the prevention and control of ASF.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12917-022-03423-0.

Clinical Validation of DNA Extraction-Free qPCR, Visual LAMP, and Fluorescent LAMP Assays for the Rapid Detection of African Swine Fever Virus

The global pig industry and food safety are seriously threatened by outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF). To permit early diagnosis of African swine fever virus (ASFV), prevent its spread, and limit its outbreaks, a highly sensitive diagnostic method that can be performed at pig farms is required. Herein, we established DNA extraction-free real-time PCR (qPCR), visual loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), and fluorescent LAMP assays, which were compared with the results of World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) qPCR to assess ASFV-infected clinical samples. Based on plasmid DNA, the limit of detection for the three assays and OIE qPCR were 5.8 copies/μL. All four assays had good ASFV specificity and showed no cross-reactivity with other tested viruses. These assays were used to diagnose 100 clinical samples. The assays showed good diagnostic consistency, with kappa values of 1.0, 0.84, and 0.88, respectively. Compared with OIE qPCR, the diagnostic specificity/sensitivity of DNA extraction-free qPCR, visual LAMP, and fluorescent LAMP assays were 100%/100%, 100%/87.1%, and 100%/90.32%, respectively. The assays eliminated the need for DNA extraction and are more suitable for ASF diagnosis by inexperienced farmers in low-resource environments, making them a good choice for on-site monitoring of pig farms.

The Development of a Multiplex Real-Time Quantitative PCR Assay for the Differential Detection of the Wild-Type Strain and the MGF505-2R, EP402R and I177L Gene-Deleted Strain of the African Swine Fever Virus

Simple Summary

African swine fever (ASF) was first reported in August 2018 in China, and the naturally gene-deleted ASFV strain was first identified in 2020 in this country. The vaccine candidates that deleted some virulent genes from the virulent parental strains have also been reported in many countries. To differentiate the wild-type and gene-deleted ASFV strains, four pairs of specific primers and TaqMan probes targeting the ASFV B646L (p72), I177L, MGF505-2R and EP402R (CD2v) genes were designed. After optimizing the reaction conditions, a multiplex real-time qPCR assay for the differential detection of the wild-type and gene-deleted ASFV strains was developed. The assay was further used to test 4239 clinical samples, and 534 samples were positive for ASFV, of which 30 samples lacked B646L, I177L, MGF505-2R and/or EP402R genes. The assay showed high specificity, sensitivity and repeatability, and it provided a reliable method for evaluating ASFV in clinical samples.

Abstract

African swine fever virus (ASFV) causes African swine fever (ASF), a devastating hemorrhagic disease of domestic pigs and wild boars. Currently, the MGF505R, EP402R (CD2v) and I177L gene-deleted ASFV strains were confirmed to be the ideal vaccine candidate strains. To develop an assay for differentiating the wild-type and gene-deleted ASFV strains, four pairs of specific primers and TaqMan probes targeting the ASFV B646L (p72), I177L, MGF505-2R and EP402R (CD2v) genes were designed. A multiplex real-time qPCR assay for the differential detection of the wild-type and gene-deleted ASFV strains was developed after optimizing the reaction conditions, including the annealing temperature, primer concentration and probe concentration. The results showed that the multiplex real-time qPCR assay can specifically test the ASFV B646L (p72), I177L, MGF505-2R and EP402R (CD2v) genes with a limit of detection (LOD) of 32.1 copies/μL for the B646L (p72) gene, and 3.21 copies/μL for the I177L, MGF505-2R and EP402R (CD2v) genes. However, the assay cannot test for the classical swine fever virus (CSFV), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV), porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), PCV3 and pseudorabies virus (PRV). The assay demonstrated good repeatability and reproducibility with coefficients of variation (CV) less than 1.56% for both the intra- and inter-assay. The assay was used to test 4239 clinical samples, and the results showed that 12.60% (534/4239) samples were positive for ASFV, of which 10 samples lacked the EP402R gene, 6 samples lacked the MGF505-2R gene and 14 samples lacked the EP402R and MGF505-2R genes. The results indicated that the multiplex real-time qPCR developed in this study can provide a rapid, sensitive and specific diagnostic tool for the differential detection of the ASFV B646L, I177L, MGF505-2R and EP402R genes.

Structural Insight into Molecular Inhibitory Mechanism of InsP6 on African Swine Fever Virus mRNA-Decapping Enzyme g5Rp

Removal of 5′ cap on cellular mRNAs by the African swine fever virus (ASFV) decapping enzyme g5R protein (g5Rp) is beneficial to viral gene expression during the early stages of infection. As the only nucleoside diphosphate-linked moiety X (Nudix) decapping enzyme encoded in the ASFV genome, g5Rp works in both the degradation of cellular mRNA and the hydrolyzation of the diphosphoinositol polyphosphates. Here, we report the structures of dimeric g5Rp and its complex with inositol hexakisphosphate (InsP₆). The two g5Rp protomers interact head to head to form a dimer, and the dimeric interface is formed by extensive polar and nonpolar interactions. Each protomer is composed of a unique N-terminal helical domain and a C-terminal classic Nudix domain. As g5Rp is an mRNA-decapping enzyme, we identified key residues, including K⁸, K⁹⁴, K⁹⁵, K⁹⁸, K¹⁷⁵, R²²¹, and K²⁴³ located on the substrate RNA binding interfaces of g5Rp which are important to RNA binding and decapping enzyme activity. Furthermore, the g5Rp-mediated mRNA decapping was inhibited by InsP₆. The g5Rp-InsP₆ complex structure showed that the InsP₆ molecules occupy the same regions that primarily mediate g5Rp-RNA interaction, elucidating the roles of InsP₆ in the regulation of the viral decapping activity of g5Rp in mRNA degradation. Collectively, these results provide the structural basis of interaction between RNA and g5Rp and highlight the inhibitory mechanism of InsP₆ on mRNA decapping by g5Rp.

IMPORTANCE ASF is a highly contagious hemorrhagic viral disease in domestic pigs which causes high mortality. Currently, there are still no effective vaccines or specific drugs available against this particular virus. The protein g5Rp is the only viral mRNA-decapping enzyme, playing an essential role in the machinery assembly of mRNA regulation and translation initiation. In this study, we solved the crystal structures of g5Rp dimer and complex with InsP₆. Structure-based mutagenesis studies revealed critical residues involved in a candidate RNA binding region, which also play pivotal roles in complex with InsP₆. Notably, InsP₆ can inhibit g5Rp activity by competitively blocking the binding of substrate mRNA to the enzyme. Our structure-function studies provide the basis for potential anti-ASFV inhibitor designs targeting the critical enzyme.

I226R Protein of African Swine Fever Virus Is a Suppressor of Innate Antiviral Responses

African swine fever is one of the most devastating swine diseases caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV). Although ASFV encodes more than 160 viral proteins, the implication of a majority of ASFV proteins in regulating host immunity is yet to be explored, and the mechanisms of immune evasion by ASFV proteins are largely unknown. Here, we report that the I226R protein of ASFV significantly suppressed innate immune responses. The ectopic expression of ASFV I226R in 293T cells significantly inhibited the activation of interferon-stimulated response element promoters triggered by Sendai virus (SeV), poly(I:C), or cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)/STING. The I226R protein caused a significant decrease in the expression of interferons and interferon-stimulating genes in cells infected with SeV. Similar results were obtained from experiments using I226R-overexpressed PK15 and 3D4/21 cells stimulated with vesicular stomatitis virus. We observed that I226R inhibited the activation of both nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3). Furthermore, it was shown that overexpression of I226R suppressed IRF3 activation and caused the degradation of NF-κB essential modulator (NEMO) protein. The I226R-induced NEMO degradation could be prevented by treatment with MG132, a proteasome inhibitor. Together, these results reveal that the ASFV I226R protein impairs antiviral responses, likely through multiple mechanisms including the suppression of NF-κB and IRF3 activation, to counteract innate immune responses during the viral infection.

Immune Escape Mechanism and Vaccine Research Progress of African Swine Fever Virus

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is the causative agent of the epidemic of African swine fever (ASF), with virulent strains having a mortality rate of up to 100% and presenting devastating impacts on animal farming. Since ASF was first reported in China in 2018, ASFV still exists and poses a potential threat to the current pig industry. Low-virulence and genotype I strains of ASFV have been reported in China, and the prevention and control of ASF is more complicated. Insufficient understanding of the interaction of ASFV with the host immune system hinders vaccine development. Physical barriers, nonspecific immune response and acquired immunity are the three barriers of the host against infection. To escape the innate immune response, ASFV invades monocytes/macrophages and dendritic cells, thereby inhibiting IFN expression, regulating cytokine expression and the body’s inflammatory response process. Meanwhile, in order to evade the adaptive immune response, ASFV inhibits antigen presentation, induces the production of non-neutralizing antibodies, and inhibits apoptosis. Recently, significant advances have been achieved in vaccine development around the world. Live attenuated vaccines (LAVs) based on artificially deleting specific virulence genes can achieve 100% homologous protection and partial heterologous protection. The key of subunit vaccines is identifying the combination of antigens that can effectively provide protection and selecting carriers that can effectively deliver the antigens. In this review, we introduce the epidemic trend of ASF and the impact on the pig industry, analyze the interaction mechanism between ASFV and the body’s immune system, and compare the current status of potential vaccines in order to provide a reference for the development of effective ASF vaccines.

Preparation and epitope mapping of monoclonal antibodies against African swine fever virus P30 protein

African swine fever virus (ASFV) causes acute, febrile, and highly contagious diseases in swine. Early diagnosis is critically important for African swine fever (ASF) prevention and control in the absence of an effective vaccine. P30 is one of the most immunogenic proteins that are produced during the early stage of an ASFV infection. This makes P30 a good serological target for ASF detection and surveillance. In this study, two P30-reactive monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), 2H2 and 5E8, were generated from mice immunized with recombinant P30 protein (rP30). Epitope mapping was performed with overlapping polypeptides, alanine mutants, and synthetic peptides. The mapping results revealed that 2H2 recognized a region located in the N-terminal, 16-48 aa. In contrast, 5E8 recognized a linear epitope in the C-terminal, 122-128 aa. Further analysis indicated that the epitope recognized by 2H2 was highly conserved in genotypes I and II, while the 5E8 epitope was conserved in most genotypes and the Ser to Pro change at position 128 in genotypes IV, V, and VI did not affect recognition. Overall, the results of this study provide valuable information on the antigenic regions of ASFV P30 and lay the foundation for the serological diagnosis of ASF and vaccine research. KEY POINTS: • Two specific and reactive mAbs were prepared and their epitopes were identified. • 2H2 recognized a novel epitope highly conserved in genotypes I and II. • 5E8 recognized a seven-amino acid linear epitope highly conserved in most genotypes.

African swine fever virus MGF360-11L negatively regulates cGAS-STING-mediated inhibition of type I interferon production

The type I interferon (IFN-I) signaling pathway is an important part of the innate immune response and plays a vital role in controlling and eliminating pathogens. African swine fever virus (ASFV) encodes various proteins to evade the host's natural immunity. However, the molecular mechanism by which the ASFV-encoded proteins inhibit interferon production remains poorly understood. In the present study, ASFV MGF360-11L inhibited cGAS, STING, TBK1, IKKε, IRF7 and IRF3-5D mediated activation of the IFN-β and ISRE promoters, accompanied by decreases in IFN-β, ISG15 and ISG56 mRNA expression. ASFV MGF360-11L interacted with TBK1 and IRF7, degrading TBK1 and IRF7 through the cysteine, ubiquitin-proteasome and autophagy pathways. Moreover, ASFV MGF360-11L also inhibited the phosphorylation of TBK1 and IRF3 stimulated by cGAS-STING overexpression. Truncation mutation analysis revealed that aa 167-353 of ASFV MGF360-11L could inhibit cGAS-STING-mediated activation of the IFN-β and ISRE promoters. Finally, the results indicated that ASFV MGF360-11L plays a significant role in inhibiting IL-1β, IL-6 and IFN-β production in PAM cells (PAMs) infected with ASFV. In short, these results demonstrated that ASFV MGF360-11L was involved in regulating IFN-I expression by negatively regulating the cGAS signaling pathway. In summary, this study preliminarily clarified the molecular mechanism by which the ASFV MGF360-11L protein antagonizes IFN-I-mediated antiviral activity, which will help to provide new strategies for the treatment and prevention of ASF.

Antigenic and immunogenic properties of recombinant proteins consisting of two immunodominant African swine fever virus proteins fused with bacterial lipoprotein OprI

Background

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly fatal swine disease, which threatens the global pig industry. There is no commercially available vaccine against ASF and effective subunit vaccines would represent a real breakthrough.

Methods

In this study, we expressed and purified two recombinant fusion proteins, OPM (OprI-p30-modified p54) and OPMT (OprI-p30-modified p54-T cell epitope), which combine the bacterial lipoprotein OprI with ASF virus proteins p30 and p54. Purified recombinant p30 and modified p54 expressed alone or fused served as controls. The activation of dendritic cells (DCs) by these proteins was first assessed. Then, humoral and cellular immunity induced by the proteins were evaluated in mice.

Results

Both OPM and OPMT activated DCs with elevated expression of relevant surface molecules and proinflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, OPMT elicited the highest levels of antigen-specific IgG responses, cytokines including interleukin-2, interferon-γ, and tumor necrosis factor-α, and proliferation of lymphocytes. Importantly, the sera from mice vaccinated with OPM or OPMT neutralized more than 86% of ASF virus in vitro.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that OPMT has good immunostimulatory activities and immunogenicity in mice, and might be an appropriate candidate to elicit immune responses in swine. Our study provides valuable information on further development of a subunit vaccine against ASF.

Rapid Detection of Genotype II African Swine Fever Virus Using CRISPR Cas13a-Based Lateral Flow Strip

The African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a dsDNA virus that can cause serious, highly infectious, and fatal diseases in wild boars and domestic pigs. The ASFV has brought enormous economic loss to many countries, and no effective vaccine or treatment for the ASFV is currently available. Therefore, the on-site rapid and accurate detection of the ASFV is key to the timely implementation of control. The RNA-guided, RNA-targeting CRISPR effector CRISPR-associated 13 (Cas13a; previously known as C2c2) exhibits a “collateral effect” of promiscuous RNase activity upon the target recognition. The collateral cleavage activity of LwCas13a is activated to degrade the non-targeted RNA, when the crRNA of LwCas13a binds to the target RNA. In this study, we developed a rapid and sensitive ASFV detection method based on the collateral cleavage activity of LwCas13a, which combines recombinase-aided amplification (RAA) and a lateral flow strip (named CRISPR/Cas13a-LFD). The method was an isothermal detection at 37 °C, and the detection can be used for visual readout. The detection limit of the CRISPR/Cas13a-LFD was 101 copies/µL of p72 gene per reaction, and the detection process can be completed within an hour. The assay showed no cross-reactivity to eight other swine viruses, including classical swine fever virus (CSFV), and has a 100% coincidence rate with real-time PCR detection of the ASFV in 83 clinical samples. Overall, this method is sensitive, specific, and practicable onsite for the ASFV detection, showing a great application potential for monitoring the ASFV in the field.