Abstract

The PB1-F2 protein of the influenza A viruses (IAVs) can act as a virulence factor in mice. Its contribution to the virulence of IAV in swine, however, remains largely unexplored. In this study, we chose two genetically related H3N2 triple-reassortant IAVs to assess the impact of PB1-F2 in virus replication and virulence in pigs. Using reverse genetics, we disrupted the PB1-F2 ORF of A/swine/Wisconsin/14094/99 (H3N2) (Sw/99) and A/turkey/Ohio/313053/04 (H3N2) (Ty/04). Removing the PB1-F2 ORF led to increased expression of PB1-N40 in a strain-dependent manner. Ablation of the PB1-F2 ORF (or incorporation of the N66S mutation in the PB1-F2 ORF, Sw/99 N66S) affected the replication in porcine alveolar macrophages of only the Sw/99 KO (PB1-F2 knockout) and Sw/99 N66S variants. The Ty/04 KO strain showed decreased virus replication in swine respiratory explants, whereas no such effect was observed in Sw/99 KO, compared with the wild-type (WT) counterparts. In pigs, PB1-F2 did not affect virus shedding or viral load in the lungs for any of these strains. Upon necropsy, PB1-F2 had no effect on the lung pathology caused by Sw/99 variants. Interestingly, the Ty/04 KO-infected pigs showed significantly increased lung pathology at 3 days post-infection compared with pigs infected with the Ty/04 WT strain. In addition, the pulmonary levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8 and gamma interferon were regulated differentially by the expression of PB1-F2. Taken together, these results indicate that PB1-F2 modulates virus replication, virulence and innate immune responses in pigs in a strain-dependent fashion.

Links

Publisher Full Text

Authors

Pena L, Vincent AL, Loving CL, Henningson JN, Lager KM, Li W, Perez DR

Institution

Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.

Source

The Journal of general virology 93:Pt 10 2012 Oct pg 2204-14

MeSH

Animals
Cell Death
Cell Line
Dogs
HEK293 Cells
Humans
Immunity, Innate
Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype
Interferon-gamma
Interleukin-6
Interleukin-8
Lung
Macrophages, Alveolar
Mutagenesis
Orthomyxoviridae Infections
Swine
Viral Load
Viral Proteins
Virulence
Virulence Factors
Virus Replication
Virus Shedding

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Language

eng

PubMed ID

22815274