chickens
not annotated - annotated - LINNAEUS only
20962084
Modifications in the polymerase genes of a swine-like triple-reassortant influenza virus to generate live attenuated vaccines against 2009 pandemic H1N1 viruses.
On 11 June 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the outbreaks caused by novel swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus had reached pandemic proportions. The pandemic H1N1 (H1N1pdm) virus is the predominant influenza virus strain in the human population. It has also crossed the species barriers and infected turkeys and swine in several countries. Thus, the development of a vaccine that is effective in multiple animal species is urgently needed. We have previously demonstrated that the introduction of temperature-sensitive mutations into the PB2 and PB1 genes of an avian H9N2 virus, combined with the insertion of a hemagglutinin (HA) tag in PB1, resulted in an attenuated (att) vaccine backbone for both chickens and mice. Because the new pandemic strain is a triple-reassortant (TR) virus, we chose to introduce the double attenuating modifications into a swine-like TR virus isolate, A/turkey/OH/313053/04 (H3N2) (ty/04), with the goal of producing live attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIV). This genetically modified backbone had impaired polymerase activity and restricted virus growth at elevated temperatures. In vivo characterization of two H1N1 vaccine candidates generated using the ty/04 att backbone demonstrated that this vaccine is highly attenuated in mice, as indicated by the absence of signs of disease, limited replication, and minimum histopathological alterations in the respiratory tract. A single immunization with the ty/04 att-based vaccines conferred complete protection against a lethal H1N1pdm virus infection in mice. More importantly, vaccination of pigs with a ty/04 att-H1N1 vaccine candidate resulted in sterilizing immunity upon an aggressive intratracheal challenge with the 2009 H1N1 pandemic virus. Our studies highlight the safety of the ty/04 att vaccine platform and its potential as a master donor strain for the generation of live attenuated vaccines for humans and livestock.
20962090
Marek's disease virus type 1 microRNA miR-M3 suppresses cisplatin-induced apoptosis by targeting Smad2 of the transforming growth factor beta signal pathway.
Viruses cause about 15% of the cancers that are still the leading causes of human mortality. The discovery of viral oncogenes has enhanced our understanding of viral oncogenesis. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of virus-induced cancers are complex and require further investigation. The present study has attempted to investigate the effects of the microRNAs (miRNAs) encoded by Marek's disease virus 1 (MDV1), a chicken herpesvirus causing acute T-cell lymphomas and solid visceral tumors in chickens, on anti-cancer drug-induced apoptosis and identify the targets of the miRNAs. The results showed that of the total 14 miRNAs encoded by MDV1, MDV1-miR-M3 significantly promoted cell survival under treatment with cisplatin, a widely used chemotherapy drug. MDV1-miR-M3 suppressed cisplatin-induced apoptosis by directly downregulating expression at the protein but not the mRNA level of Smad2, a critical component in the transforming growth factor Beta signal pathway. Our data suggest that latent/oncogenic viruses may encode miRNAs to directly target cellular factors involved in antiviral processes including apoptosis, thus proactively creating a cellular environment beneficial to viral latency and oncogenesis. Furthermore, the knowledge of the apoptosis resistance conferred by viral miRNAs has great practical implications for improving the efficacy of chemotherapies for treating cancers, especially those induced by oncogenic viruses.
22182611
Laboratory and Field Evaluation of Formulated Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis as a Feed Additive and Using Topical Applications for Control of Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae) Larvae in Caged-Poultry Manure.
Infestations of house flies, Musca domestica L., are a continual problem around poultry establishments. Acute toxicity of two commercial Bacillus thuringiensis variety israelensis (Bti) formulations (water-dispersible granules and bran formulation) was evaluated against larvae in the laboratory and against natural populations of M. domestica larvae in the field applied in feed to chickens and as topical applications in the poultry houses. Bioassay data showed that susceptibility of M. domestica larvae increased to a given concentration of Bti as the duration of exposure increased. In the laboratory studies, the LC(50) values of Bti for the larvae ranged between 65 and 77.4 mug/ml. In the field, a concentration of 10 g Bti/kg of feed resulted in 90% reduction of larvae at 4 wk after treatment. A higher concentration (2 g/liter) of Bti in spray applications was not significantly more effective than the lower concentration of 1 g/liter. Adding Bti to chicken feed is potentially an efficient measure for the management and control of house flies in caged-poultry facilities.