Antibody Responses in Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) Infected with Mycobacterium bovis

Despite having a very low incidence of disease, reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) are subject to tuberculosis (TB) testing requirements for interstate shipment and herd accreditation in the United States. Improved TB tests are desperately needed, as many reindeer are falsely classified as reactors by current testing procedures. Sera collected sequentially from 11 (experimentally) Mycobacterium bovis-infected reindeer and 4 noninfected reindeer were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunoblotting, and multiantigen print immunoassay (MAPIA) for antibody specific to M. bovis antigens. Specific antibody was detected as early as 4 weeks after challenge with M. bovis. By MAPIA, sera were tested with 12 native and recombinant antigens, which were used to coat nitrocellulose. All M. bovis-infected reindeer developed responses to MPB83 and a fusion protein, Acr1/MPB83, and 9/11 had responses to MPB70. Other antigens less commonly recognized included MPB59, ESAT-6, and CFP10. Administration of purified protein derivatives for skin testing boosted serum antibody responses, as detected by each of the assays. Of the noninfected reindeer, 2/4 had responses that were detectable immediately following skin testing, which correlated with pathological findings (i.e., presence of granulomatous lesions yet the absence of acid-fast bacteria). The levels of specific antibody produced by infected reindeer appeared to be associated with disease progression but not with cell-mediated immunity. These findings indicate that M. bovis infection of reindeer elicits an antibody response to multiple antigens that can be boosted by skin testing. Serological tests using carefully selected specific antigens have potential for early detection of infections in reindeer.

Mycobacterium bovis–Infected White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus): Detection of Immunoglobulin Specific to Crude Mycobacterial Antigens by ELISA

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have recently emerged as a source of Mycobacterium bovis infection for cattle within North America. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antibody response of M. bovis–infected deer to crude mycobacterial antigens. Deer were experimentally inoculated with M. bovis strain 1315 either by intratonsilar instillation or by exposure to M. bovis–infected (i.e., in contact) deer. To determine the time course of the response, including the effects of antigen administration for comparative cervical skin testing, serum was collected periodically and evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for immunoglobulin (i.e., IgG heavy and light chains) reactivity to mycobacterial antigens. The reactivity to M. bovis purified protein derivative (PPDb) exceeded (P < 0.05) the reactivity to M. avium PPD (PPDa) only after in vivo administration of PPDa and PPDb for comparative cervical testing of the infected deer. The mean immunoglobulin response, as measured by ELISA, of intratonsilar-inoculated deer to a proteinase K–digested whole-cell sonicate (WCS-PK) of M. bovis strain 1315 exceeded (P < 0.05) the mean of the prechallenge responses to this antigen at approximately 1 month after inoculation and throughout the remainder of the study (i.e., ~11 months). This response also exceeded (P < 0.05) that of the uninfected deer. Although this is encouraging, further studies are necessary to validate the use of the proteinase K–digested M. bovis antigens in the antibody-based assays of tuberculosis.

THE GLYCOPROTEINS OF PORCINE REPRODUCTIVE AND RESPIRATORY SYNDROME VIRUS AND THEIR ROLE IN INFECTION AND IMMUNITY

The porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is an economically important pathogen of swine and is known to cause abortion and infertility in pregnant sows and respiratory distress in piglets. PRRSV contains a major glycoprotein (GP5) and three minor glycoproteins (GP2a, GP3, and GP4) on the virion envelope, all of which are required for infectious virus production. To study their interactions amongst each other and with a cellular receptor for PRRSV, CD163, I cloned each of the viral glycoproteins and CD163 in various expression vectors. My studies have shown that while the GP2a, GP3, and GP4 are co-translationally glycosylated, the GP5 is post-translationally glycosylated. By using co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) assays, strong interaction was demonstrated between GP4 and GP5 proteins, although weak interactions among the other envelope glycoproteins were also detected. Further, GP4 was found to mediate interactions leading to formation of multiprotein glycoprotein complex. My results also show that GP2a and GP4 proteins are the only two GPs that specifically interact with the CD163 molecule and that glycosylation of these GPs is required for efficient interaction. Based on these studies, I have developed an interactome map of the viral GPs and CD163 and have proposed a model of the viral glycoprotein complex and its interaction with CD163. Studies reported here also show that glycan addition at residue 184 (N184) of GP2a, and residues N42, N50, and N131 of GP3 is essential for recovery of infectious virus. Although single site glycosylation mutants of GP4 had no effect on infectious virus production, introduction of double mutations was lethal. The loss of glycan moieties of GP2a, GP3, and GP4 proteins had no effect on host neutralizing antibody production. Overall, I conclude that the PRRSV glycoproteins are co-translationally and post-translationally glycosylated, the GP4 protein is central to mediating interglycoprotein interactions, and along with GP2a, serves as the viral attachment protein that is responsible for interactions with the viral receptor, CD163. Further, glycosylation of GP2a, GP3, and GP4 proteins is required for infectious virus production, efficient interaction with CD163, but does not play any role in neutralizing antibody response in infected animals.