The Structural Basis of African Swine Fever Virus pS273R Protease Binding to E64 through Molecular Dynamics Simulations.

Identification of novel drugs for anti-African swine fever (ASF) applications is of utmost urgency, as it negatively affects pig farming and no effective vaccine or treatment is currently available. African swine fever virus (ASFV) encoded pS273R is a cysteine protease that plays an important role in virus replication. E64, acting as an inhibitor of cysteine protease, has been established as exerting an inhibitory effect on pS273R.

Ultrasensitive Detection of Pathogenic by Targeting High Copy Signature Genes.

Bacterial load in clinical samples is relatively low and difficult to detect. Improvements in assay sensitivity will greatly reduce false negative results and contribute to more accurate diagnoses. In the present study, we present a new strategy to improve the sensitivity of a nucleic acid assay by detecting the presence of a multi-copy gene.

Identification of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus genotypes in patients and ticks in Liaoning Province, China.

Background: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS), caused by the SFTS virus (SFTSV), is an acute infectious disease transmitted by ticks that has recently been identified. There are no reports of epidemic serotypes in Liaoning Province, PR China. The aim of this study was, therefore, to identify genotypes of SFTSV in this province.

Small molecule inhibitor E-64 exhibiting the activity against African swine fever virus pS273R.

African swine fever (ASF) is a viral disease in swine that results in high mortality in domestic pigs and causes considerable economic losses. Currently, there is no effective vaccine or drugs available for treatment. Identification of new anti-ASFV drugs is urgently needed.

An insight into the transmission role of insect vectors based on the examination of gene characteristics of African swine fever virus originated from non-blood sucking flies in pig farm environments.

Background: Insect vector transmitted pathogens from contaminated environments are a key potential risk for public health. Meanwhile, transmission by non-blood sucking flies needs to be considered. Sequencing and phylogenetic tree analyses were used to study African swine fever virus (ASFV) genes derived from flies collected from pig farms that were infected with ASFV.

Prevalence of African Swine Fever in China, 2018-2019.

African swine fever (ASF) has spread widely across China since 2018. It represents a significant threat to the pig production industry, as no treatment or vaccine is available for this disease. In this study, the geographical distribution and epidemiological features of ASF from all endemic regions of China were analyzed.

polysaccharides-induced intestinal tight junction injury alleviation inhibition of NF-κB/MLCK pathway in a mouse endotoxemia model.

Aim: To examine the effects of polysaccharides (ASPS) on intestinal tight junction (TJ) disruption and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB)/myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) activation in endotoxemia.

Methods: BALB/C mice (6-8-weeks-old) received continuous intragastric gavage of ASPS for 7 d before injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), or received ASPS once after LPS injection. Blood and intestinal mucosal samples were collected 6 h after LPS challenge.

Data on PRRSV infection promoted the subtype of porcine dendritic cells from mDCs to pDCs in vivo.

The related study has confirmed that porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection may impair mature states of DCs can lead to suboptimal adaptive immune response ("The role of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus infection in immunephenotype and Th1/Th2 balance of dendritic cells" (Jinling Liu, We Shu, Liaxia Liu et al., 2016) [1]). In this data article,the porcine dendritic cells (DCs) isolated from porcine peripheral blood and spleen were collected after infection with PRRSV, then the characteristics of the subset differentiation of DCs were analyzed with FACS Calibur Cytometer and fluorescence microscope respectively.

The role of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus infection in immune phenotype and Th1/Th2 balance of dendritic cells.

The aim of this study was to characterize the immune response of dendritic cells derived from monocytes (Mo-DCs) in the porcine peripheral blood following infection with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). Viral load assays indicated that PRRSV efficiently infected Mo-DCs but failed to replicate, whereas PRRSV infection of Mo-DCs decreased the expression of SLA-I, SLA-II, CD80 and CD40 compared with those of mock Mo-DCs. Furthermore, we analyzed the cytokine profiles using quantitative RT-PCR and ELISA.

Polysaccharides from Acanthopanax senticosus enhances intestinal integrity through inhibiting TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathways in lipopolysaccharide-challenged mice.

To investigate the role of polysaccharide from Acanthopanax senticosus (ASPS) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced intestinal injury, mice in three treatments were administrated orally with or without ASPS (300 mg/kg body weight) for 14 days, followed by challenge with LPS or saline. At 4 h post-injection, blood and intestinal samples of six mice / treatment were collected. The results showed ASPS ameliorated LPS-induced intestinal morphological deterioration, proven by improved villus height (P < 0.

Prevalence of Dirofilaria immitis infection in dogs from Dandong, China.

The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence and risk factors of Dirofilaria immitis infection in dogs from Dandong, China. A total of 886 dogs were examined for D. immitis infection by microscopic examination and PCR, indicating that the prevalence was 16.

Enhancing effects of the chemical adjuvant levamisole on the DNA vaccine pVIR-P12A-IL18-3C.

DNA-based vaccination is an attractive alternative for overcoming the disadvantages of inactivated virus vaccines; however, DNA vaccines alone often generate only weak immune responses. In this study, the efficacy of LMS as a chemical adjuvant on a DNA vaccine (pVIR-P12A-IL18-3C) encoding the P1-2A and 3C genes of the FMDV and swine IL-18, which provides protection against FMDV challenge, was tested. All test pigs were administered booster vaccinations 28 days after the initial inoculation, and were challenged with 1000 ID50 FMDV O/NY00 20 days after the booster vaccination.

Immune responses of swine inoculated with a recombinant fowlpox virus co-expressing P12A and 3C of FMDV and swine IL-18.

Two recombinant fowlpox viruses (rFPV-P1 and rFPV-IL18-2AP12A) containing foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) capsid polypeptide, 3C coding regions of O/NY00 were evaluated to determine their abilities to induce humoral and cellular responses in the presence or absence of swine IL-18 as genetic adjuvant. The ability to protect swine against homologous virus challenge was examined. All swine were given booster vaccinations at 21 days after the initial inoculation and were challenged 10 days after the booster vaccination.

Immunogenicity of plasmids encoding P12A and 3C of FMDV and swine IL-18.

In this paper, two recombinant plasmids (pVIR-P12AIL18-3C and pVIR-P12A-3C) containing foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV) capsid polypeptide, 3C coding regions of O/NY00 and using/or not swine IL18 as a genetic adjuvant were constructed, and evaluated for their ability to induce humoral and cellular responses in mice and swine. In addition, the ability to protect swine against homologous virus challenge was examined. Mice and swine were given booster vaccination twice and once, respectively, and swine were challenged 10 days after the booster vaccination.

Immune responses of pigs inoculated with a recombinant fowlpox virus coexpressing GP5/GP3 of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus and swine IL-18.

Two recombinant fowlpox viruses (rFPV-ORF5-ORF3 and rFPV-IL-18-ORF5-ORF3) containing the ORF5/ORF3 cDNAs of PRRSV (strain Chang Chun) and IL-18 of swine were constructed and evaluated for theirs abilities to induce humoral and cellular responses in piglets. In addition, their abilities to protect piglets against homologous virus challenge were examined. All piglets were given booster vaccinations at 21 days after the initial inoculation, and all piglets were challenged at 60 after the initial inoculation.