ACTA VETERINARIA ET ZOOTECHNICA SINICA ›› 2018, Vol. 49 ›› Issue (12): 2690-2697.doi: 10.11843/j.issn.0366-6964.2018.12.018

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Nuclear Localization Signal Mutation in the M Protein Attenuates the Pathogenicity of Newcastle Disease Virus

DUAN Zhi-qiang*, DENG Shan-shan, YUAN Chao, GAO Hong-bo, JI Xin-qin, ZHAO Jia-fu, RUAN Yong   

  1. Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in The Plateau Mountainous Region of Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
  • Received:2018-06-12 Online:2018-12-23 Published:2018-12-23

Abstract:

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of nuclear localization signal (NLS) mutation in the M protein on the pathogenicity of Newcastle disease virus (NDV). The parental virus and the M/NLS mutant virus were used to infect 4-week-old SPF chickens. The clinical symptom and pathological change, the virus shedding in larynx and cloaca, the virus titers in the tissues, the microscopic lesions, the expression change of M protein and the cytokine genes in immune organs of virus-infected chickens were examined. The results showed that chickens infected with the parental virus exhibited typical ND clinical symptom and pathological change, and had continuous and high virus shedding in the larynx and cloaca. By contrast, chicken infected with the mutant virus showed slight clinical symptom and pathological change, and had delayed and low virus shedding. The survival rate of parental and mutant virus-infected group was 0% and 70%, respectively. Compared to the replication ability and virus titers of the parental virus in different tissues, the mutant virus only replicated in the immune organs and trachea and simultaneously had very low virus titers. In addition, the mutant virus caused unconspicuous pathological change and low expression of M protein in the immune organs in comparison to the parental virus, and also reduced expression level of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IFN-β and IFN-λ in immune organs, indicating that M/NLS mutation significantly reduced the cellular immunologic response induced by NDV. This study revealed for the first time the attenuated pathogenicity of M/NLS mutant NDV, and provided useful information for further investigating the nuclear localization function of M protein in NDV pathogenicity.

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