Polymerase chain reaction-based restriction fragment length polymorphism pattern of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus directly from lung tissues without virus isolation in Korea

Heterologous Challenge with PRRSV-1 MLV in Pregnant Vaccinated Gilts: Potential Risk on Health and Immunity of Piglets

Simple Summary

Modified live virus (MLV) vaccines are considered as the key component to control the Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV). The majority of pig farms apply the ‘mass’ vaccination strategy in breeding female animals. However, this PRRS MLV vaccination protocol involves the risk of inoculation of sows in the last stage of gestation, resulting in possible infection of the fetus as the virus can efficiently cross the placenta during the last period of pregnancy. Thus, we evaluated the ability of the vaccine virus to act as a pathogenic strain, to be transmitted to fetuses and to affect the health status of neonatal piglets. The results indicated that the study gilts transmitted the vaccine virus to their offspring, as well as that the PRRSV-infected piglets showed a poor clinical performance. Consequently, the pig farms that apply PRRS MLV vaccination in a routine blanket vaccination strategy must avoid inoculating pregnant gilts the last week before their parturition.

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the potential risks of the four commercial PRRS-1 MLV vaccines in pregnant vaccinated gilts at the last stage of gestation under field conditions. The study was conducted at four pig farms, including 25 gilts from each farm (25 × 4 = 100 gilts), which were equally allocated to five different study groups. A PRRS-1 MLV vaccination was applied on the 100th day of their pregnancy with the different commercial vaccines that are available in the Greek market. The results indicated virus congenital infection and viremia in piglets (20/200 = 10% PRRSV infected piglets), and detection of PRRSV-specific antibodies (181/200 = 90.5% piglets found with PRRSV antibodies). The subsequent phylogenetic analyses revealed high percentages of similarity between the PRRSV-1 strain detected in infected litters and the PRRSV-1 vaccine strain to which the study gilts had been previously exposed to. Health status analyses of trial piglets resulted in differences between litters from vaccinated sows and litters from non-vaccinated sows at 110th day of gestation as regards the number of weak-born piglets, mummies, and piglets with splay-leg and/or respiratory symptoms. The current study’s results indicate several potential dangers of the PRRS MLV vaccination in late gestation.

Isolation of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus GP5-Specific, Neutralizing Monoclonal Antibodies From Hyperimmune Sows

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is a devastating disease which impacts the pig industry worldwide. The disease is caused by PRRS viruses (PRRSV-1 and -2) which leads to abortions and other forms of reproductive failure in sows and severe respiratory disease in growing pigs. Current PRRSV vaccines provide limited protection; only providing complete protection against closely related strains. The development of improved PRRSV vaccines would benefit from an increased understanding of epitopes relevant to protection, including those recognized by antibodies which possess the ability to neutralize distantly related strains. In this work, a reverse vaccinology approach was taken; starting first with pigs known to have a broadly neutralizing antibody response and then investigating the responsible B cells/antibodies through the isolation of PRRSV neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). PBMCs were harvested from pigs sequentially exposed to a modified-live PRRSV-2 vaccine as well as divergent PRRSV-2 field isolates. Memory B cells were immortalized and a total of 5 PRRSV-specific B-cell populations were isolated. All identified PRRSV-specific antibodies were found to be broadly binding to all PRRSV-2 isolates tested, but not PRRSV-1 isolates. Antibodies against GP5 protein, commonly thought to possess a dominant PRRSV neutralizing epitope, were found to be highly abundant, as four out of five B cells populations were GP5 specific. One of the GP5-specific mAbs was shown to be neutralizing but this was only observed against homologous and not heterologous PRRSV strains. Further investigation of these antibodies, and others, may lead to the elucidation of conserved neutralizing epitopes that can be exploited for improved vaccine design and lays the groundwork for the study of broadly neutralizing antibodies against other porcine pathogens.

Expression of interferon-alpha and Mx1 protein in pigs acutely infected with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV)

The expression of mRNA encoding interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) and Mx1 protein was studied, by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and by in-situ hybridization with a non-radioactive digoxigenin-labelled cDNA probe, in formalin-fixed, paraffin wax-embedded lung tissue from pigs experimentally infected with a Korean isolate (North American genotype) of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). The animals were examined over a period of 10 days after intranasal inoculation. IFN-alpha and Mx1 protein was detected in the lung at 1 day post inoculation (dpi), the number of positive cells increasing at 7dpi, and rapidly decreasing thereafter. Hybridization signals for IFN-alpha and Mx1 protein were usually associated with inflammation, and in particular with macrophages. Expression of IFN-alpha and Mx1 protein was negative in non-lesional lung of PRRSV-infected pigs and in normal lung from control pigs. There was a good statistical correlation between the number of cells positive for mRNA encoding IFN-alpha and Mx1 protein in the infected lungs (r = 0.95, P< 0.05). The results suggest that the expression of IFN-alpha and Mx1 protein plays a role in the early host defence against PRRSV infection.

Comparision of the Pathogenicity of Two Strains (Wild Type and Vaccine-Like) of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) in Experimentally Infected Sows

The objective of this study was to compare two Korean strains of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), namely a wild type (WT) strain and a vaccine-like (VL) strain, in respect of pathogenicity and viral distribution in the tissues. Both strains were of the North American genotype. Two groups of five pregnant sows were infected with either the WT or the VL strain 2 weeks before their expected farrowing date. The WT strain-inoculated sows showed abortion and premature farrowing, whereas the VL strain-inoculated sows remained clinically normal and did not farrow prematurely. Of the 18 liveborn piglets from the WT strain-inoculated sows, 14 had interstitial pneumonia. Of the 60 liveborn piglets from the VL strain-inoculated sows, only six had interstitial pneumonia. PRRSV antigen or nucleic acid was detected in 48/65 (73.8%) of stillborn and liveborn piglets from the WT strain-inoculated sows, but in only 12/64 (18.8%) of stillborn and liveborn piglets from the VL strain-inoculated sows.

Expression of interleukin-10 and interleukin-12 in piglets experimentally infected with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV)

The expression of mRNA encoding interleukin-10 (IL-10) and IL-12 was studied, by the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and by in-situ hybridization with a non-radioactive digoxigenin-labelled cDNA probe, in formalin-fixed, paraffin wax-embedded lung tissue from piglets inoculated intranasally with a Korean isolate (North American genotype) of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). IL-12p35-positive cells were detected in the lung at 1 day post-inoculation (dpi), their number increasing at 5 dpi, and rapidly decreasing thereafter. In contrast, IL-10- and IL-12p40-positive cells were detected in the lung at 1 dpi, their number increasing at 3 dpi, and rapidly decreasing thereafter. Hybridization signals for IL-10, IL-12p35 and IL-12p40 were always associated with inflammation. Expression of these cytokines was minimal in non-lesional lung of PRRSV-infected piglets and in normal lung from control piglets. In-situ hybridization in serial sections of lung tissues indicated close co-localization of PRRSV and these cytokines in interstitial pneumonia. The results suggest that the expression of IL-10 and IL-12 plays a role in pulmonary defence mechanisms against PRRSV infection.

Differentiation of twelve Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotypes by outer membrane lipoprotein gene-based restriction fragment length polymorphism

Twelve Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotypes were differentiated by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified fragments from the outer membrane lipoprotein (omlA) gene. All 12 reference serotypes and 80 field isolates produced the expected 950-base pair (bp) fragment of the omlA gene by PCR. Combining the RFLP patterns obtained with SfaNI, Bst71I, AluI, NciI, nine distinct patterns were observed in the 12 serotype reference strains. The PCR-based RFLP analysis of omlA genes allows differentiation among the 12 serotypes, with the exception of group 1 (serotypes 1, 9 and 11), and group 2 (serotypes 2 and 8). When the PCR products from the 70 field isolates were subjected to RFLP analysis, 68 showed the same RFLP patterns as their respective serotype reference strain. Two isolates that could not be typed had the same RFLP patterns as those of serotype 5. These results suggest that PCR-based RFLP analysis of the omlA genes may be of value in differentiating among 12 A. pleuropneumoniae serotypes.