Evaluation of hydrophobic chitosan-based particulate formulations of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus vaccine candidate T cell antigens.

PRRS control is hampered by the inadequacies of existing vaccines to combat the extreme diversity of circulating viruses. Since immune clearance of PRRSV infection may not be dependent on the development of neutralising antibodies and the identification of broadly-neutralising antibody epitopes have proven elusive, we hypothesised that conserved T cell antigens represent potential candidates for development of a novel PRRS vaccine. Previously we had identified the M and NSP5 proteins as well-conserved targets of polyfunctional CD8 and CD4 T cells.

Virus replicon particles expressing porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus proteins elicit immune priming but do not confer protection from viremia in pigs.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is the causative agent of one of the most devastating and economically significant viral disease of pigs worldwide. The vaccines currently available on the market elicit only limited protection. Recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) replicon particles (VRP) have been used successfully to induce protection against influenza A virus (IAV) in chickens and bluetongue virus in sheep.

Expression of estrogen receptor subtypes and neuronal nitric oxide synthase in neutrophils from women and men: regulation by estrogen.

Objectives: (a) To identify the subtype of estrogen receptor (ER) expressed in neutrophils from premenopausal women and in neutrophils from men under different estrogen conditions and (b) to analyze the association between the modifications in the expression of ER subtypes and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) expression induced by estrogen.

Methods: Neutrophils were isolated from pre-menopausal women during different stages of the menstrual cycle and from ten men for in vitro estrogen incubations.

Results: Neutrophils from premenopausal women expressed both ERalpha and ERbeta subtypes which were increased in the ovulatory phase of the menstrual cycle.