Immersion immunization with recombinant baculoviruses displaying cyprinid herpesvirus 2 membrane proteins induced protective immunity in gibel carp

Cyprinid herpesvirus 2 (CyHV-2) is the causative pathogen of herpesviral haematopoietic necrosis disease, which has caused huge economic losses to aquaculture industry in China. In this study, nine truncated CyHV-2 membrane glycoproteins (ORF25, ORF25C, ORF25D, ORF30, ORF124, ORF131, ORF136, ORF142A, ORF146) and a GFP reporter protein were respectively expressed using baculovirus surface displaying system. Western blot showed that the proteins were successfully packaged in the recombinant virus particles. In baculovirus transduced gibel carp kidney cells, the target proteins were expressed and displayed on the fish cell surface. Healthy gibel carp were immunized by immersion with the recombinant baculoviruses and the fish treated with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) were served as mock group. The expression of interleukin-11 (IL-11), interferon α (IFNα) and a complement component gene C3 were significantly up-regulated in most experimental groups, and interferon γ (IFNγ) expression in some groups were also induced after immunization. Subsequently, the immunized gibel carp were challenged by intraperitoneal injection of CyHV-2 virus. All the immunized groups exhibited reduced mortality after CyHV-2 challenge. In the groups immunized with baculoviruses displaying and expressing ORF25, ORF25C and ORF146, the relative percentage survival values reached 83.3%, 87.5% and 70.8%, respectively. Our data suggested that baculovirus-displayed ORF25, ORF25C and ORF146 could be potential vaccine candidates for the prevention of CyHV-2 infection in gibel carp.

Immune response and protection in gibel carp, Carassius gibelio, after vaccination with β-propiolactone inactivated cyprinid herpesvirus 2

Herpesviral haematopoietic necrosis (HVHN) of gibel carp (Carassius gibelio) is a newly emerged infectious disease caused by cyprinid herpesvirus 2 (CyHV-2) and has caused huge economic losses in aquaculture operations. Currently, no effective methods are available for the control of the disease. In this study, β-propiolactone inactivated cyprinid herpesvirus 2 (CyHV-2) vaccine was prepared, and the immune response and protection in cultured gibel carp after vaccination was thoroughly investigated. This included blood cell counting and classification, phagocytic activity, lysozyme and superoxide dismutase activity, neutralizing antibody titration, immune gene expression analysis, and determination of the relative percent survival in vaccinated gibel carp. The results of blood cell counts indicated that the numbers of the red and white blood cells in the peripheral blood of immunized gibel carp increased significantly at day 4 and day 7 after vaccination (p < 0.01). The differential leukocyte count of neutrophils and monocytes were significantly different compared to the control group at day 4 and 7 and the percentage of lymphocytes reached a peak at day 21. The phagocytic percentage and phagocytic index peaked at day 4 post-vaccination. The lysozyme activity and superoxide dismutase activity were significantly increased compared to the control group (p < 0.01). The serum neutralizing antibody titer peaked (203.03 ± 13.44) at day 21. The qPCR analysis revealed that the expression of the immune genes interlukin 11 and complement component C3 were significantly up-regulated in the immunized group. The challenge test demonstrated that the immunized group had a relative survival rate of 71.4%. These results indicate that the inactivated CyHV-2 vaccine induced both non-specific and specific anti-viral immune responses that resulted in significant protection against HVHN disease and mortality in gibel carp.

Immunological responses and protection in Chinese giant salamander Andrias davidianus immunized with inactivated iridovirus

Chinese giant salamander hemorrhage is a newly emerged infectious disease in China and has caused huge economic losses. The causative pathogen has been identified as the giant salamander iridovirus (GSIV). In this study, the immunological responses and protection in Chinese giant salamander immunized with β-propiolactone inactivated GSIV are reported. Red and white blood cell counting and classification, phagocytic activity, neutralizing antibody titration, immune-related gene expression and determination of the relative percent survival were evaluated after vaccination. The red and white blood cell counts showed that the numbers of erythrocytes and leukocytes in the peripheral blood of immunized Chinese giant salamanders increased significantly on days 4 and 7 post-injection (P<0.01). Additionally, the differential leukocyte count of monocytes and neutrophils were significantly different compared to the control group (P<0.01); the percentage of lymphocytes was 70.45±7.52% at day 21. The phagocytic percentage and phagocytic index was 38.78±4.33% and 3.75±0.52, respectively, at day 4 post-immunization which were both significantly different compared to the control group (P<0.01). The serum neutralizing antibody titer increased at day 14 post-immunization and reached the highest titer (341±9.52) at day 21. The quantitative PCR analysis revealed that the immunization significantly up-regulated the expression of immune related genes TLR-9 and MyD88 the first two weeks after immunization. The challenge test conducted at day 30 post-injection demonstrated that the immunized group produced a relative survival of 72%. These results indicate that the inactivated GSIV could elicit significant non-specific and specific immunological responses in Chinese giant salamander that resulted in significant protection against GSIV induced disease.