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Nipah virus (NiV) and Hendra virus (HeV) are closely related, recently emerged paramyxoviruses that are capable of causing considerable morbidity and mortality in several mammalian species, including humans. Henipavirus-specific vaccines are still commercially unavailable, and development of novel antiviral strategies to prevent lethal infections due to henipaviruses is highly desirable. Here we describe the development of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vaccines expressing the NiV G protein. Characterization of these vaccines in mice demonstrated that a single intramuscular AAV injection was sufficient to induce a potent and long-lasting antibody response. Translational studies in hamsters further demonstrated that all vaccinated animals were protected against lethal challenge with NiV. In addition, this vaccine induced a cross-protective immune response that was able to protect 50% of the animals against a challenge by HeV. This study presents a new efficient vaccination strategy against henipaviruses and opens novel perspectives on the use of AAV vectors as vaccines against emergent diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Norddeich orphanage seals about four to five months of age were exposed intranasally and by contact to a phocine herpesvirus which originated from a young seal in this station. Virus excretion by the nasal route was observed in two animals on day 2 and 15 post inoculation, respectively. Production of neutralizing antibodies was detected one week after exposure. The antibody titre range was approximately tenfold higher in the inoculated seals than in animals of the contact group. The seals did not become seriously sick. Zusammenfassung In der Seehundaufzucht- und Forschungsstation Norddeich wurden etwa 4-5 Monate alte Seehunde durch intranasale Inokulation und als Kontakttiere einem phocinen Herpesvirus ausgesetzt, welches von einem Jungtier aus der Station stammte. Virusausscheidung auf nasalem Wege wurde bei zwei Tieren am 2. bzw. 15.Tag post inoculationem festgestellt. Die Produktion neutralisierender Antikörper war eine Woche nach der Exposition nachweisbar. Die Antikörpertiter der inokulierten Tiere waren etwa zehnmal höher als die der Kontakttiere. Die Seehunde wurden nicht klinisch krank. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Villin, a 95-kD cytoskeletal protein selectively expressed in the microvilli of some absorptive cells was localized immunohistochemically in the oviduct and the seminiferous excretory ducts of the mouse. Villin was found in the proximal part of the oviduct, comprising the preampulla, ampulla, and part of the isthmus. Distal to the isthmus the oviductal cells lining the junctura and the intrauterine colliculus tubaris were devoid of villin. No villin could be detected in the uterine cells. Ductuli efferentes, connecting the rete testis with the epididymis were the only portion of the male seminiferous ductal system expressing villin. The cells lining the epididymis and the vas deferens were devoid of villin. These data show that villin is selectively expressed in male and female reproductive systems and that it is limited to anatomically defined proximal portions of the reproductive ducts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Treatment with UV-irradiated donor-specific blood transfusion is known to induce specific unresponsiveness in recipient animals and prolong allograft survival. Mixed lymphocyte response in transfused mice was decreased towards spleen cells of the blood donor strain, but was not altered to third-party cells. Sera from treated mice showed significantly lower interleukin-1 (IL-1) activity, which was increased with higher dilutions of sera, indicating the presence of IL-1 inhibitor. Furthermore, sera decreased rIL-1-induced cell proliferation in dose-dependent manner, while the response to rIL-2 neither depended on the concentration of sera, nor differed between non-treated controls and treated mice. These results indicate that UV-irradiated allogeneic blood transfusion could induce an inhibitor, specifically directed to IL-1 activity, which may be involved in the generation of immunological unresponsiveness in treated animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, August 7–August 11, 2011. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]