Homogeneous production of feline interferon in silkworm by replacing single amino acid code in signal peptide region in recombinant baculovirus and characterization of the product

The Magic Staff: A Comprehensive Overview of Baculovirus-Based Technologies Applied to Human and Animal Health

Baculoviruses are enveloped, insect-specific viruses with large double-stranded DNA genomes. Among all the baculovirus species, Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) is the most studied. Due to its characteristics regarding biosafety, narrow host range and the availability of different platforms for modifying its genome, AcMNPV has become a powerful biotechnological tool. In this review, we will address the most widespread technological applications of baculoviruses. We will begin by summarizing their natural cycle both in larvae and in cell culture and how it can be exploited. Secondly, we will explore the different baculovirus-based protein expression systems (BEVS) and their multiple applications in the pharmaceutical and biotechnological industry. We will focus particularly on the production of vaccines, many of which are either currently commercialized or in advanced stages of development (e.g., Novavax, COVID-19 vaccine). In addition, recombinant baculoviruses can be used as efficient gene transduction and protein expression vectors in vertebrate cells (e.g., BacMam). Finally, we will extensively describe various gene therapy strategies based on baculoviruses applied to the treatment of different diseases. The main objective of this work is to provide an extensive up-to-date summary of the different biotechnological applications of baculoviruses, emphasizing the genetic modification strategies used in each field.

Structural insight and stability of TNFR-Fc fusion protein (Etanercept) produced by using transgenic silkworms

Therapeutic proteins expressed using transgenic animals have been of great interest for several years. Especially, transgenic silkworm has been studied intensively because of its ease in handling, low-cost, high-yield and unique glycosylation patterns. However, the physicochemical property of the therapeutic protein expressed in transgenic silkworm remains elusive. Here, we constructed an expression system for the TNFR-Fc fusion protein (Etanercept) using transgenic silkworm. The TNFR-Fc fusion protein was employed to N-glycan analysis, which revealed an increased amount of afucosylated protein. Evidence from surface plasmon resonance analysis showed that the TNFR-Fc fusion protein exhibit increased binding affinity for Fcγ receptor IIIa and FcRn compared to the commercial Etanercept, emphasizing the profit of expression system using transgenic silkworm. We have further discussed the comparison of higher order structure, thermal stability and aggregation of the TNFR-Fc fusion protein.

Antiviral Effects of Hydroxychloroquine and Type I Interferon on In Vitro Fatal Feline Coronavirus Infection

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a viral disease with a high morbidity and mortality by the FIP virus (FIPV, virulent feline coronavirus). Several antiviral drugs for FIP have been identified, but many of these are expensive and not available in veterinary medicine. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is a drug approved by several countries to treat malaria and immune-mediated diseases in humans, and its antiviral effects on other viral infections (e.g., SARS-CoV-2, dengue virus) have been confirmed. We investigated whether HCQ in association with interferon-ω (IFN-ω) is effective for FIPV in vitro. A total of 100 μM of HCQ significantly inhibited the replication of types I and II FIPV. Interestingly, the combination of 100 μM of HCQ and 10⁴ U/mL of recombinant feline IFN-ω (rfIFN-ω, veterinary registered drug) increased its antiviral activity against type I FIPV infection. Our study suggested that HCQ and rfIFN-ω are applicable for treatment of FIP. Further clinical studies are needed to verify the combination of HCQ and rIFN-ω will be effective and safe treatment for cats with FIP.

Novel recombinant feline interferon carrying N-glycans with reduced allergy risk produced by a transgenic silkworm system

Background

The generation of recombinant proteins for commercialisation must be cost-effective. Despite the cost-effective production of recombinant feline interferon (rFeIFN) by a baculovirus expression system, this rFeIFN carries insect-type N-glycans, with core α 1,3 fucosyl residues that act as potential allergens. An alternative method of production may yield recombinant glycoproteins with reduced antigenicity.

Results

A cDNA clone encoding the fifteenth subtype of FeIFN-α (FeIFN-α15) was isolated from a Japanese domestic cat. This clone encoded a protein of 189 amino acids with a molecular mass of 21.1 kDa. The rFeIFN-α15 was expressed using a transgenic silkworm system, which was expected to yield an N-glycan structure with reduced antigenicity compared with the protein produced by the baculovirus system. The resulting rFeIFN-α15 accumulated in the sericin layer of silk fibres and was easily extracted and purified by column chromatography. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of purified rFeIFN-α15 was identical to the mature form of natural sequence. Moreover, its N-glycans did not include detectable core α 1,3 fucosyl residues. Its anti-vesicular stomatitis virus activity (2.6 × 10⁸ units/mg protein) was comparable to that of the baculovirus-expressed rFeIFN.

Conclusions

The lower allergy risk of rFeIFN produced by the transgenic silkworm system than by the baculovirus expression system is due to the former lacking core α 1,3 fucosyl residues in its N-glycans. The rFeIFN-α15 produced by the transgenic silkworm system may be a prospective candidate for the next generation of rFeIFN in veterinary medicine.

Characterization of anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody produced by transgenic silkworms (Bombyx mori)

In response to the successful use of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) in the treatment of various diseases, systems for expressing recombinant mAbs using transgenic animals or plants have been widely developed. The silkworm (Bombyx mori) is a highly domesticated insect that has recently been used for the production of recombinant proteins. Because of their cost-effective breeding and relatively easy production scale-up, transgenic silkworms show great promise as a novel production system for mAbs. In this study, we established a transgenic silkworm stably expressing a human-mouse chimeric anti-CD20 mAb having the same amino acid sequence as rituximab, and compared its characteristics with rituximab produced by Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells (MabThera®). The anti-CD20 mAb produced in the transgenic silkworm showed a similar antigen-binding property, but stronger antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) and weaker complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) compared to MabThera. Post-translational modification analysis was performed by peptide mapping using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. There was a significant difference in the N-glycosylation profile between the CHO- and the silkworm-derived mAbs, but not in other post-translational modifications including oxidation and deamidation. The mass spectra of the N-glycosylated peptide revealed that the observed biological properties were attributable to the characteristic N-glycan structures of the anti-CD20 mAbs produced in the transgenic silkworms, i.e., the lack of the core-fucose and galactose at the non-reducing terminal. These results suggest that the transgenic silkworm may be a promising expression system for the tumor-targeting mAbs with higher ADCC activity.

Immunological Effects of Recombinant Feline Interferon-ω (KT-80) Administration in the Dog

The immunological effects of recombinant feline interferon-omega (rFeIFN-omega ; KT-80, Toray) were examined on administration to healthy dogs. The activities of whole blood cells, macrophages, and natural killer cells were enhanced. Moreover, the whole blood activity was examined when KT-80 was administered to dogs which had been diagnosed as having natural canine parvovirus (CPV) infection. Only some cases in which the activity increased until 3 hr post-administration survived. These results suggest that rFeIFN-omega (KT-80) treatment enhanced the cellular immunity of normal dogs, and could exert significant therapeutic effects on only natural CPV infected dogs with induced continuous immunoenhancement.

Use of recombinant interferon omega in feline retrovirosis: from theory to practice

Type-I interferons (IFNs) are cytokines that have non-specific antiviral activity, participating mostly in innate defense mechanisms. Their administration has been proposed to treat several viral and immunomediated diseases as an immunomodulatory therapy. Due to its availability, recombinant human interferon-alpha (rHuIFN-α) has been studied in relation to feline retrovirosis, both in vitro and in vivo. However, IFNs are species-specific and antibodies have been shown to develop in response to the high rHuIFN-α doses necessary for an effective therapy. A recombinant feline IFN has been developed, which has been characterized as interferon-omega (rFeIFN-ω), designed to overcome these problems. Nonetheless, very few studies have been undertaken to evaluate its efficacy in cats naturally infected with FIV or FeLV. In an initial study, we here demonstrated that rFeIFN-ω can dramatically improve the clinical condition of infected cats, and induce improvement of hematologic parameters. Minor changes or no change was observed for hypergammaglobulinemia, CD4/CD8 ratio, proviral load, viremia and RT activity, suggesting that the overall effect of IFN was on innate immunity. More studies are needed in order to better understand its in vivo mechanisms.

The innate antiviral immune system of the cat: molecular tools for the measurement of its state of activation

The innate immune system plays a central role in host defence against viruses. While many studies portray mechanisms in early antiviral immune responses of humans and mice, much remains to be discovered about these mechanisms in the cat. With the objective of shedding light on early host-virus interactions in felids, we have developed 12 real-time TaqMan(®) qPCR systems for feline genes relevant to innate responses to viral infection, including those encoding for various IFNα and IFNω subtypes, IFNβ, intracellular antiviral factor Mx, NK cell stimulator IL-15 and effectors perforin and granzyme B, as well as Toll-like receptors (TLRs) 3 and 8. Using these newly developed assays and others previously described, we measured the relative expression of selected markers at early time points after viral infection in vitro and in vivo. Feline embryonic fibroblasts (FEA) inoculated with feline leukemia virus (FeLV) indicated peak levels of IFNα, IFNβ and Mx expression already 6h after infection. In contrast, Crandell-Rees feline kidney (CrFK) cells inoculated with feline herpes virus (FHV) responded to infection with high levels of IFNα and IFNβ only after 24h, and no induction of Mx could be detected. In feline PBMCs challenged in vitro with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), maximal expression levels of IFNα, β and ω subtype genes as well as IL-15 and TLRs 3, 7 and 8 were measured between 12 and 24h after infection, whereas expression levels of proinflammatory cytokine gene IL-6 were consistently downregulated until 48h post inoculation. A marginal upregulation of granzyme B was also observed within 3h after infection. In an in vivo experiment, cats challenged with FIV exhibited a 2.4-fold increase in IFNα expression in blood 1 week post infection. We furthermore demonstrate the possibility of stimulating feline immune cells in vitro with various immune response modifiers (IRMs) already known for their immunostimulatory properties in mice and humans, namely Poly IC, Resiquimod (R-848) and dSLIM™, a synthetic oligonucleotide containing several unmethylated CpG motifs. Stimulation of feline PBMCs with dSLIM™ and R-848 effectively enhanced expression of IFNα within 12h by factors of 6 and 12, respectively, and Poly IC induced an increase in Mx mRNA expression of 28-fold. Altogether, we describe new molecular tools and their successful use for the characterization of innate immune responses against viruses in the cat and provide evidence that feline cells can be stimulated by synthetic molecules to enhance their antiviral defence mechanisms.

Panleucopénie féline aiguë : à propos d’un cas traité avec succès par l’interféron-ω

La panleucopénie féline est une infection virale (due à un petit parvovirus FPV). Ce virus est très stable et capable de survivre une année à température ambiante dans les matières organiques sur un support solide. Quasiment tous les chats sensibles sont exposés et infectés au cours de leur première année de vie. La forme aiguë de la maladie est fréquente, avec hyperthermie, anorexie et léthargie, précédant de trois ou quatre jours les premiers signes cliniques. Dans la plupart des cas, la mortalité peut être évitée par un traitement symptomatique et des soins appropriés. Cependant, la maladie, dans sa forme aiguë, est souvent associée à une bactériémie chez les jeunes chats non vaccinés, pouvant se révéler mortelle. Lorsqu’un traitement symptomatique n’est pas suffisamment efficace, le recours à une thérapie antivirale pourrait être une alternative. L’interféron recombinant félin oméga a été utilisé avec succès selon un protocole d’administration décrit, le statut médical du chat étant suivi avant, pendant et après le traitement mis en place.

Adjuvant immunotherapy of feline fibrosarcoma with recombinant feline interferon-omega

BACKGROUND

Recombinant feline interferon-omega (rFeIFN-omega) was tested as a treatment option for cats with fibrosarcoma to assess safety and feasibility.

HYPOTHESIS

Treatment with rFeIFN-omega in cats with fibrosarcoma is safe and feasible.

ANIMALS

Twenty domestic cats.

METHODS

In an open-labeled uncontrolled clinical trial 12 injections of 1 x 10(6) U/kg rFeIFN-omega were administered over a 5-week period: the 1st through 4th injections were given intratumorally, and the 5th through 12th injections were administered subcutaneously at the tumor excision site. Wide surgical excision of the tumors was carried out after the 4th injection and before the 5th injection of rFeIFN-omega. A Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) analysis was conducted. Flow cytometry of fibrosarcoma cells after incubation with rFeIFN-omega and recombinant feline interferon-gamma was performed to assess the biological effect of rFeIFN-omega.

RESULTS

Changes in blood cell count, increases in serum aspartate-amino-transferase activity, serum bilirubin concentration, serum creatinine and serum electrolyte concentrations, weight loss, anorexia, increased body temperature, and reduced general condition were observed but were mostly minor (grade 1 and 2) and self limiting. Eosinophilia (P = .025), neutropenia (P = .021), and weight loss (P < .001) were statistically correlated with rFeIFN-omega-treatment (analysis of parameters before treatment and after 3 injections of rFeIFN-omega). Flow cytometry of 5 unrelated feline fibrosarcoma cell lines showed increased expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules (P = .026) in response to in vitro incubation with rFeIFN-omega, whereas expression of MHC class II molecules was not affected significantly.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE

RFeIFN-omega for the treatment of feline fibrosarcoma is safe, well tolerated, and can be easily performed in practice. To assess the efficacy of the treatment, it should be tested in a placebo-controlled trial.

Adjuvant immunotherapy of feline fibrosarcoma with recombinant feline interferon-omega

BACKGROUND

Recombinant feline interferon-omega (rFeIFN-omega) was tested as a treatment option for cats with fibrosarcoma to assess safety and feasibility.

HYPOTHESIS

Treatment with rFeIFN-omega in cats with fibrosarcoma is safe and feasible.

ANIMALS

Twenty domestic cats.

METHODS

In an open-labeled uncontrolled clinical trial 12 injections of 1 x 10(6) U/kg rFeIFN-omega were administered over a 5-week period: the 1st through 4th injections were given intratumorally, and the 5th through 12th injections were administered subcutaneously at the tumor excision site. Wide surgical excision of the tumors was carried out after the 4th injection and before the 5th injection of rFeIFN-omega. A Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) analysis was conducted. Flow cytometry of fibrosarcoma cells after incubation with rFeIFN-omega and recombinant feline interferon-gamma was performed to assess the biological effect of rFeIFN-omega.

RESULTS

Changes in blood cell count, increases in serum aspartate-amino-transferase activity, serum bilirubin concentration, serum creatinine and serum electrolyte concentrations, weight loss, anorexia, increased body temperature, and reduced general condition were observed but were mostly minor (grade 1 and 2) and self limiting. Eosinophilia (P = .025), neutropenia (P = .021), and weight loss (P < .001) were statistically correlated with rFeIFN-omega-treatment (analysis of parameters before treatment and after 3 injections of rFeIFN-omega). Flow cytometry of 5 unrelated feline fibrosarcoma cell lines showed increased expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules (P = .026) in response to in vitro incubation with rFeIFN-omega, whereas expression of MHC class II molecules was not affected significantly.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE

RFeIFN-omega for the treatment of feline fibrosarcoma is safe, well tolerated, and can be easily performed in practice. To assess the efficacy of the treatment, it should be tested in a placebo-controlled trial.

Evaluation of inflammation and immunity in cats with spontaneous parvovirus infection: consequences of recombinant feline interferon-omega administration

Administration of recombinant feline interferon-ω (rFeIFN) has been proposed for the prophylaxis of canine and feline parvovirosis. In the present study, the influence of the administration of rFeIFN on blood markers of inflammation (α-globulins, α₁-acid glycoprotein) and immune system activation (γ-globulins, IgG, IgM, specific anti-feline parvovirus IgG or IgM) was evaluated in a cattery developing an outbreak of feline panleukopenia due to feline parvovirus (FPV) infection few days after initial administration of rFeIFN. Kittens (n = 23) were injected with rFeIFN (1 MU/kg subcutaneoulsy, once a day for 3 days) and their blood parameters were compared with those of 17 untreated cats. Cats that survived the outbreak were vaccinated and re-sampled 1 month after the last rFeIFN administration. Time of emergence of clinical signs and survival rate were not significantly different between the two groups. Controls and treated cats surviving the infection had high levels of γ-globulins, total- and anti-FPV specific IgGs, likely due to passive transfer of maternal immunity. Compared to controls, treated kittens had lower levels of α₁-globulins and higher mean values of γ-globulins and immunoglobulins. Data from samples collected after vaccination revealed a higher level of γ-globulins, total- and anti-FPV specific IgGs in treated kittens, compared with controls, suggesting that rFeIFN stimulates antibody production. Based on this results, rFeIFN should be administered to the queen, to increase passive maternal immunity, or to kittens before introduction in a potentially contaminated environment.

Activity of feline interferon-omega after ocular or oral administration in cats as indicated by Mx protein expression in conjunctival and white blood cells

OBJECTIVE

To assess the biological response to recombinant feline interferon-omega (rFeIFN-omega) following ocular or oral administration in cats via estimation of Mx protein expression in conjunctival cells (CCs) and WBCs.

ANIMALS

10 specific pathogen-free cats.

PROCEDURES

In multiple single-dose drug experiments, each cat received various concentrations of rFeIFN-omega administered topically into both eyes (50 to 10,000 U/eye) and orally (200 to 20,000 units). The same cats received saline (0.9% NaCl) solution topically and orally as control treatments. The CCs and WBCs were collected prior to treatment (day 0), on day 1, and every third or seventh day thereafter until samples yielded negative results for Mx protein. Samples were examined for Mx protein expression via immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting procedures involving murine anti-Mx protein monoclonal antibody M143.

RESULTS

After topical application of 10,000 U of rFeIFN-omega/eye, CCs stained for Mx protein for a minimum of 7 days, whereas WBCs were positive for Mx protein for a minimum of 31 days. After topical application of lower concentrations, CCs did not express Mx protein, in contrast to WBCs, which stained for Mx protein at 1,000 units for at least 1 day. Following oral administration, Mx protein was expressed in WBCs at rFeIFN-omega concentrations as low as 200 units, whereas CCs did not stain for Mx protein at any concentration.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Results indicate that Mx protein expression (a marker of the biological response to rFeIFN-omega) in CCs and WBCs of rFeIFN-omega-treated cats depends on the dose of rFeIFN-omega, site of administration, and cell type.

Production of an active feline interferon in the cocoon of transgenic silkworms using the fibroin H-chain expression system

We constructed the fibroin H-chain expression system to produce recombinant proteins in the cocoon of transgenic silkworms. Feline interferon (FeIFN) was used for production and to assess the quality of the product. Two types of FeIFN fusion protein, each with N- and C-terminal sequences of the fibroin H-chain, were designed to be secreted into the lumen of the posterior silk glands. The expression of the FeIFN/H-chain fusion gene was regulated by the fibroin H-chain promoter domain. The transgenic silkworms introduced these constructs with the piggyBac transposon-derived vector, which produced the normal sized cocoons containing each FeIFN/H-chain fusion protein. Although the native-protein produced by transgenic silkworms have almost no antiviral activity, the proteins after the treatment with PreScission protease to eliminate fibroin H-chain derived N- and C-terminal sequences from the products, had very high antiviral activity. This H-chain expression system, using transgenic silkworms, could be an alternative method to produce an active recombinant protein and silk-based biomaterials.

Expression of feline interferon-alpha subtypes in Esherichia coli, and their antiviral activity and animal species specificity

Two kinds of FeIFN-alpha consisting of 166 amino acids (aa) and 171 aa were expressed in Escherichia coli, and the purified proteins were tested for antiviral activity on homologous and heterologous animal cells. Crude FeIFN induced in feline cells revealed antiviral activity on both homologous and heterologous animal cells. In contrast, both types of recombinant FeIFN-alpha revealed antiviral activity only on the feline cells. All of the FeIFN-alpha subtypes showed high activity to vesicular stomatitis virus, and the three species of feline viruses belonging to different families.

Feline infectious peritonitis

The article discusses feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), an important disease frequently seen in veterinary practice. FIP causes many problems to the veterinarian as it can be difficult to definitively diagnose the disease, as there is no effective treatment, and as prophylactic interventions are not very successful. Although intense research has created a lot of new knowledge about this disease in the last years, there are still many unanswered questions. The objective of this article is to review recent knowledge and to increase understanding of the complex pathogenesis of FIP.

Cloning of cDNAs encoding multiple subtypes of feline interferon-alpha from the feline epitherial cell line

Mammalian interferon (IFN)-alpha consists of a 23-amino acid signal peptide and a 166-amino acid mature protein. Feline (Fe) IFN-alpha has an extra unique molecule consisting of a 171-amino acid mature protein with a 5-amino acid insertion. We cloned eight new subtypes of cDNA encoding FeIFN- alpha from a feline epithelial cell line. Among all the FeIFN-alpha subtypes, including six that have previously been reported, the variations were found to be far less than those of IFN-alphas of other animals.

The biological effects of five feline IFN-alpha subtypes

IFN-alpha has been shown to induce both antiviral and antiproliferative activities in animals. This report describes the biological activity of five recently identified feline IFN-alpha subtypes expressed in the Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line (rfeIFN-alpha1[CHO], rfeIFN-alpha2[CHO], rfeIFN-alpha3[CHO], rfeIFN-alpha5[CHO] and rfeIFN-alpha6[CHO]) and the feIFN-alpha6 subtype expressed in and purified from Pichia pastoris (rfeIFN-alpha6[P. pastoris]). The rfeIFN-alpha[CHO] subtypes were tested for antiviral activity against either Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) or feline calicivirus (FCV) infected feline embryonic fibroblast cell line (AH927) or Crandell feline kidney cell line (CRFK). Antiviral activity was induced against both VSV and FCV infected AH927 cells and VSV infected CRFK cells by all five of the rfeIFN-alpha[CHO] subtypes and rfeIFN-alpha6[P. pastoris]. In addition, the IFN-alpha inducible Mx gene (associated with antiviral activity) was upregulated in vivo 24 h following treatment with rfeIFN-alpha6[P. pastoris], compared to baseline levels seen prior to treatment. All of the rfeIFN-alpha[CHO] subtypes and rfeIFN-alpha6[P. pastoris] exhibited antiproliferative activity in the FeT-J cell line (an IL-2 independent feline T-cell line). Both necrosis and apoptosis were observed in rfeIFN-alpha6[P. pastoris]-treated FeT-J cells. The rfeIFN-alpha3[CHO] subtype consistently exhibited lower antiviral and antiproliferative activity compared to that observed with the other four rfeIFN-alpha[CHO] subtypes. In summary, this paper demonstrates that five previously described feIFN-alpha subtypes induce both antiviral and antiproliferative activities in vitro and are capable of upregulating the feMx gene in vivo.

Use of recombinant feline interferon and glucocorticoid in the treatment of feline infectious peritonitis

A total of 12 clinically ill cats previously diagnosed as feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) were treated with a combination of recombinant feline interferon and glucocorticoid. A complete remission (over 2 years) and a partial remission (2 to 5 months) were observed in four (33.3%) and four (33.3%) cases, respectively. Those that survived for more than 2 years were all older cats (6 to 16 years old) with the effusive form of FIP.

Treatment of canine parvoviral enteritis with interferon-omega in a placebo-controlled field trial

The clinical efficacy of a recombinant feline interferon (IFN) (type omega) was evaluated under field conditions for the treatment of dogs with parvoviral enteritis. In this multicentric, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 94 dogs from one to 28 months old were randomly assigned to two groups which were treated intravenously either with IFN (2.5 million units/kg) or placebo once a day for three consecutive days, and monitored for clinical signs and mortality for 10 days. Each dog received individual supportive treatment The data from 92 interpretable cases (43 IFN-treated and 49 placebo) showed that the clinical signs of the IFN-treated animals improved significantly in comparison with the control animals, and that there were only three deaths in the IFN group compared with 14 deaths in the placebo group (P = 0.0096) corresponding to a 4.4-fold reduction. Alternative analyses of the data taking into account the prior vaccination status of the dogs against canine parvovirus suggested that the IFN therapy resulted in a 6.4-fold reduction in mortality (P = 0.044) in the unvaccinated cohort, a significant reduction when compared with the vaccinated cohort.

Treatment of canine parvoviral enteritis with interferon-omega in a placebo-controlled challenge trial

Canine parvoviral enteritis continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality in dogs worldwide, and efficacious antiviral therapies are lacking. The present trial was aimed at evaluating the therapeutic efficacy of a recombinant feline interferon (type omega) preparation in the treatment of parvoviral enteritis in dogs. A double-blind, placebo-controlled challenge trial was performed in beagle pups (8-9 weeks); clinical signs, body weight, hematologic parameters, and mortality were monitored for a period of 14 days after challenge. Fourteen animals were inoculated with virulent canine parvovirus; 10 animals that developed clinical signs thereby meeting the inclusion criteria were admitted to the treatment phase in two randomly selected groups (placebo and IFN) of equal size. The IFN group received daily intravenous injections of rFeIFN-omega (2.5 MU/kg) for three consecutive days. The placebo group received daily injections of saline without IFN. Both groups of animals received individual supportive treatment consisting of adjusted diet and electrolyte solution. All five dogs in the placebo group developed fulminating enteritis with typical clinical signs and died within 10 days post-inoculation (or 6 days post-treatment). In the IFN-treated group, one animal died on day 2 after the treatment was started, whereas the other four dogs survived the challenge and gradually recovered. Our data confirm that the rFeIFN-omega can exert a significant therapeutic effect on dogs with parvoviral enteritis by improving clinical signs and reducing mortality.

Cloning, expression, purification, and biological activity of five feline type I interferons

Type I interferons (IFN) are important mediators of the host defense against viral infections in mammals. In humans multiple subtypes of IFN-alpha exist, most of which possess antiviral activity. Little is known about the type I IFN genes in cats and the role they may play in feline immunological responses to viruses. We have isolated cDNAs encoding five feline IFN-alpha (feIFN) subtypes that share from 95 to 99% amino acid sequence identity. FeIFN-alpha5 has five additional amino acids inserted at position 139, which are not present in the other four subtypes. Sequence identity of the feIFN proteins encoded by the five clones compared to human IFN-alpha2 is approximately 60%. Unlike most of the human subtypes, each of the five feline IFN sequences has an N-glycosylation recognition site. Expression of all five feIFN-alpha subtypes in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells was confirmed by Western blot analysis, and all resulting proteins were glycosylated. The antiviral activity of each feIFN-alpha subtype produced in transiently transfected CHO cell cultures was tested in vitro. In addition, subtype feIFN-alpha6 was expressed in the yeast, Pichia pastoris. The resulting secreted mature recombinant protein was purified and demonstrated significant antiviral activity and induction of 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase activity in vitro.

Feline interferon-omega treatment on canine parvovirus infection

Recombinant feline interferon-omega preparation (rFeIFN-omega, trade name: INTERCAT) showed good clinical efficacy on canine parvovirus infection both in an experimental trial with beagles, and in field trials.

Cytokines and anti-cytokine therapy: clinical potential for treatment of feline disease

Cytokines are soluble proteins produced by nucleated cells throughout the body. They have wide ranging effects on cell growth and differentiation, mediating immune responses, haemopoiesis and tissue repair. Advances in recombinant DNA technology have led to a vast increase in knowledge of their biological properties and subsequently their use in human clinical trials. The use of human cytokines in feline medicine has been of limited success as the action of cytokines is often species restricted or their activity may be neutralized due to antibody formation. Recently, however, many feline cytokines have been cloned which raises the possibility of their future use in the management and prevention of feline disease. Ultimately, they may find widespread clinical uses including the treatment of cancer, cytopenias and viral infections and as vaccine adjuvants.

Clinical effects of the recombinant feline interferon-omega on experimental parvovirus infection in beagle dogs

The clinical effects of recombinant feline interferon-omega (rFeIFN-omega), produced in silkworm by recombinant baculovirus, were examined in 3-4 month-old beagle dogs given an experimental canine parvovirus type-2 (CPV-2) infection. Clinical symptoms, such as pyrexia, vomiting, anorexia and diarrhea, were observed on day 4 after oral inoculation of 10(7) TCID50 of CPV-2 (cc 238 strain) in almost all the inoculated dogs. From day 4, rFeIFN-omega (1 mega units/kg/day) or physiological saline was administered intravenously to infected dogs for 3 consecutive days. Seven out of 17 dogs treated with physiological saline showed hemorrhagic diarrhea and continuously expressed severe clinical enteritis; one dog died with a large amount of hemorrhagic rice-water stool on day 6 after viral exposure. In contrast, 4 out of 12 dogs treated with rFeIFN-omega showed severe clinical enteritis associated with intermittent diarrhea. Scoring of fecal condition revealed that treatment with rFeIFN-omega significantly shifted the enteritis from a severe to mild form. Furthermore, rFeIFN-omega administered in the morning decreased the number of dogs expressing clinical enteritis in the evening suggesting a rapid effect. Vomiting and anorexia were also improved by treatment with rFeIFN-omega. These results suggest that rFeIFN-omega can reduce severe enteritis caused by CPV-2 infection in dogs.

Expression of feline recombinant interferon-gamma in baculovirus and demonstration of biological activity

We have previously reported the cloning of the coding sequence for feline-specific interferon-gamma. Here, we describe the expression of this sequence in a baculovirus system and demonstrate the biological activity of the recombinant protein. The coding sequence for feline interferon was directionally cloned into the baculovirus transfer vector pAcCL29-1. Transfer vector and linearized wild-type AcMNPV (BacPAK6) were used to co-transfect Sf9 cells by calcium phosphate coprecipitation. Subsequently, wild-type and recombinant viruses were separated by plaque assay. Recombinant plaques were expanded and a master stock of virus is produced. Production of biologically active interferon-gamma from infected Sf9 cells was demonstrated using a standard cytopathic effect reduction assay, utilising vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), and an MHC class II induction assay.

Biological response modifiers: interferons, interleukins, recombinant products, liposomal products

The concept of enhancing the normal immune response against infections and neoplasms has been considered for decades. The administration of various natural and synthetic products to simulate systemic infections has largely given over to the idea that specific cytokines can be used effectively when administered systemically. Interferons, interleukins, and hematopoietic growth factors may offer substantial clinical benefit in chronic viral infections, and cancers such as osteosarcoma, melanoma, and lymphosarcoma. Erythropoietin has been shown to have great utility in the management of chronic renal failure. At this point in time, only recombinant products derived from humans are commercially available, and they are expensive and not licensed for use in companion animals. Nevertheless, these products may have significant clinical impact on several highly fatal disorders of dogs and cats. When administered systemically, cytokines perturb complex regulatory pathways, and serious side effects may occur. Innovative delivery methods, such as liposomes, gene therapy, and even oral administration may increase the therapeutic index of these molecules. Biological response modification, cytokine biology, and associated delivery systems are rapidly changing fields, and the small animal veterinarian will need to watch for significant advances in these areas over the next several years.

Interaction between soluble type I receptor for bone morphogenetic protein and bone morphogenetic protein-4

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are multifunctional proteins that comprise the largest subfamily of the transforming growth factor-beta. These proteins bind to types I and II serine/threonine kinase receptors. Ligand-induced heteromeric dimerization of these receptors is the key event in initiation of biological responses. We report here large-scale expression and purification of extracellular domain of the type I receptor for BMP-2/4, using a silkworm expression system. This soluble form of BMP receptor (sBMPR) was in monomer form in solution and bound to BMP-4 but not to activin or transforming growth factor-beta1. Surface plasmon resonance studies showed that kinetic parameters of sBMPR for BMP-4 consisted of a relatively rapid association rate constant (ka = 3.81 +/- 0.19 x 10(4) s-1 M-1) and an extremely slow dissociation rate constant (kd = 3.69 +/- 0.26 x 10(-4) s-1). From these two kinetic parameters, affinity was determined to be similar to that of the intact membrane-associated receptor expressed on COS cells. sBMPR inhibited the alkaline phosphatase activity in BMP responsive cell lines such as mouse osteoblastic cell MC3T3-E1 and bone marrow stromal cell ST2. These data indicate that the extracellular domain of type I receptor for BMP-2 and BMP-4 is sufficient for high-affinity binding to its ligands and should prove useful in understanding the role of BMP-2/4 in vivo, because a suitable high-affinity anti-BMP antibody has yet to be developed.

Cloning and expression of the canine interferon-beta gene

We isolated the canine interferon-beta (IFN-beta) gene from dog liver chromosomal DNA by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The coding region encodes a predicted protein of 197 amino acids, consisting of a signal sequence of 32 amino acids and a mature IFN-beta of 165 amino acids. In the IFN-beta sequence, there are five potential N-glycosylation sites and four cysteine residues. Canine IFN-beta has 44% and 60% amino acid sequence homology with murine and human IFN-beta, respectively, whereas it has only 28% homology with canine IFN-alpha. The canine IFN-beta gene was expressed in insect cells under the control of the polyhedrin promoter in a recombinant baculovirus. After infecting Sf21 cells with the recombinant baculovirus, IFN activity was detected in the culture medium, indicating that it is secreted from the cells. This activity was stable from pH 2 to 12 for 18 h at 4 degrees C. Southern blot analysis indicated that the gene for canine IFN-beta is a single gene in the dog haploid chromosome.

In vitro growth inhibition activities of recombinant feline interferon on all lines derived from canine tumours

To evaluate the anti-tumour effect of recombinant feline interferon (rFeIFN) against canine neoplastic cells, the antiproliferation and anti-colony-forming activities of rFeIFN were investigated in vitro, using four cell lines derived from canine tumours; oral acanthomatous epulis (MCA-B1), mammary benign mixed tumour (MCM-B2), squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC), and malignant melanoma (CMC-1). The rFeIFN had a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on the cell growth and colony formation of all the cell lines, although the degree of inhibition was lower than that in the feline cell lines used as a positive control, and the sensitivity of the cells to rFeIFN differed.