Generation of a neutralizing antibody against RD114-pseudotyped viral vectors

The feline endogenous RD114 glycoprotein has proved to be an attractive envelope to pseudotype both retroviral and lentiviral vectors. As a surface protein, its detection on packaging cells as well as viral particles would be useful in different fields of its use. To address this, we generated a monoclonal antibody against RD114 by immunization of rats, termed 22F10. Once seroconversion was confirmed, purified 22F10 was cloned into murine Fc and characterized with a binding affinity of 10nM. The antibody was used to detect RD114 and its variant envelopes on different stable viral packaging cell lines (FLYRD18 and WinPac-RD). 22F10 was also shown to prevent the infections of different strains of RD-pseudotyped vectors but not related envelope glycoproteins by blocking cell surface receptor binding. We are the first to report the neutralization of viral particles by a monoclonal αRD114 antibody.

Effects of Acute Exposure to Endosulfan (Organochlorine Pesticides) on Hematology of African Mud Catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822)

Changes in the blood parameters of fingerlings of Clarias gariepinus were investigated after 24 and 96-h of exposures to endosulfan. 180 fingerlings of C. gariepinus [mean weight (10.5±1.3 g); total length (11.2±1.2 cm)] were exposed to five different concentrations (1.00, 2.20, 4.80, 11.00, 23.00 µg/L) of endosulfan and a control for 96 h after being acclimatized for 21 days. After 24 h of exposure, microcytic hypochromic anemia was observed and all erythrocyte profiles tested showed significant variation (p<0.05) among the treatments except thrombocyte and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration. Macrocytic hyperchromic anemia was noticed after 96 h of exposure and all the hematological parameters varied significantly (p<0.05) except packed cell volume and red blood cell count. The study shows that endosulfan alters the hematology of C. gariepinus fingerlings. Therefore, awareness on the hazards associated with the use of endosulfan should be intensified and sound sustainable alternatives to endosulfan should be developed.