Universiteit Gent

Other

Intervet International B.v.

Akzo Nobel N.v.

Maurice Pensaert

Nathalie Vanderheijden

Hans Nauwynck

Peter Delputte

Sven Arnouts

Gerald Misinzo

Iris Delrue

Peter Meerts

Hanne Van Gorp

Merijn Vanhee

Hannah Dewerchin

Sebastiaan Theuns

Nick De Regge

Herman Favoreel

Marc Geldhof

The invention relates generally to the field of virology. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods for determining the effect of a viral inactivation procedure on the antigenicity of the inactivated virus, in particular, for a virus that is a member of the family Arteriviridae or Coronaviridae or Asfarviridae, in particular, for Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV). The invention further provides methods to determine the antigenicity of an inactivated virus as well as methods to screen for anti-viral compounds using any one of the aforementioned methods. Methods of using the inactivated and immunogenic virus thus obtained, in particular, in the manufacture of a vaccine, are also provided by the present invention.

Determination of antigenicity of an inactivated virus

The present invention relates to the use of interferon in the in vitro cultivation of animal circular ssDNA virus such as Porcine Circovirus 2 or human TT virus in an animal cell line. Increased titres of animal circular ssDNA virus are obtained by addition of interferons or agents which ensure the production of endogenous interferons by said cell line and/or by the reduction of endosomal-lysosomal system acidification.

Culturing circular ssDNA viruses for the production of vaccines

The invention relates generally to the field of virology. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods for determining the permissiveness of a cell for a virus that is a member of the family Arteriviridae or Coronaviridae or Asfarviridae, in particular for Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV). The invention further provides methods and compositions related to the generation of host cells permissive for a virus that is a member of the family Arteriviridae or Coronaviridae or Asfarviridae, in particular for Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV). Methods of using said cells thus identified or thus generated, in preparing a culture of a virus that is a member of the family Arteriviridae or Coronaviridae or Asfarviridae, as well as the use of said virus for the purpose of vaccine production or diagnosis, are also provide by the present invention.

Permissive cells and uses thereof

The invention relates generally to the field of virology, and relates to the identification and characterization of the targets involved in the evasion strategy of viruses and to the use thereof in methods to identify anti-viral compounds. More in particular to identify compounds which are modulators of myosin light chain kinase (MLCK), a target within said entry and immune-evasion strategy. Other aspects of the invention are directed to anti-viral compounds identified using the models and methods of the present invention, as well as to the use thereof in treating viral infections, such as for example caused by the feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV), a coronavirus which belongs to an antigenic group which comprises in particular feline enteric coronavirus (FECV), canine coronavirus (CCV), swine transmissible gastroenteritis coronavirus (TGEV), porcine respiratory coronavirus (PRCV) and human coronavirus (HCV), and which induces, in a host-dependent manner, a range of symptoms which range from mild enteritis to the severe debilitating disease, and, in some cases, up to death. In a particular aspect the present invention provides the use of MLCK inhibitors for the treatment of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP).

Methods for reducing the internalization of viruses and identification of compounds effective thereof

Methods of delivering a cargo moiety to a cell is provided according to embodiments of the present invention which includes contacting a cell expressing sialoadhesin with a conjugate including a sialoadhesin binding moiety and a cargo moiety. The sialoadhesin binding moiety binds to the sialoadhesin expressed by the cell and is internalized along with the cargo, delivering the cargo moiety to the cell. Particular methods provided by the present invention include induction or enhancement of sialoadhesin expression in a cell which naturally produces little or no sialoadhesin. Induction or enhancement of sialoadhesin expression includes transfection of a sialoadhesin expression construct and/or administration of an agent effective to induce or enhance sialoadhesin expression. Methods and compositions for stimulating an immune response in a subject are detailed. Particular methods and compositions for stimulating an immune response to a virus are provided by the present invention.

Sialoadhesin-related compositions and methods

The present invention relates to a new polynucleotide that encodes a polypeptide involved in cellular entrance of PRRSV, to a recombinant vector comprising said polynucleotide, to a cell capable of expressing said polypeptide, a method of producing said polypeptide as well as to cell culture and to a novel method of producing the PRRSV virus. The present invention further relates to a method of identifying compounds that affect the PRRSV receptor function of the polypeptide as well as to the use of the polypeptide or identified compounds in the manufacture of medicaments. The present inventors have succeeded in isolating a protein from PAM membranes that seems to play a crucial role in virus entry into the cell. The elucidated nucleotide sequence encoding the protein, as well as the amino acid sequence of the protein, were compared with sequences stored in sequence databases. Surprisingly the putative PRRSV receptor provided by the present invention showed a great deal of homology to certain proteins belonging to the Siglec family.

Nucleic acid encoding polypeptide involved in cellular entrance of the PRRS virus

The present invention relates to the use of interferon in the in vitro cultivation of animal circular ssDNA virus such as Porcine Circovirus 2 or human TT virus in an animal cell line. Increased titres of animal circular ssDNA virus are obtained by addition of interferons or agents which ensure the production of endogenous interferons by said cell line.

Growing community of inventors

Zomergem, Belgium

Hans Nauwynck