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Effect of native chicken interferon on MDV replication

A M Levy1, E D Heller, G Leitner

  • 1Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. levyalon@agri.huji.ac.il

Acta Virologica
|March 4, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Interferon (IFN) reduces Marek's disease virus (MDV) replication and oncogenic pp38 protein expression in chicken cells. This finding highlights IFN's potential role in controlling MDV infection and oncogenesis.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Immunology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Marek's disease virus (MDV) is an oncogenic alphaherpesvirus linked to poultry cancers.
  • The viral protein pp38 is implicated in MDV-induced oncogenesis.
  • Interferon (IFN) exhibits antiviral and anti-proliferative effects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the antiviral and anti-proliferative role of chicken interferon (IFN) in Marek's disease (MD).
  • To determine IFN's effect on MDV replication and pp38 protein expression in chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEFs).

Main Methods:

  • CEFs were infected with attenuated MDV strain CVI988 or herpesvirus of turkeys (HVT).
  • Varying concentrations of native chicken IFN were administered before infection.
  • MDV plaque formation was quantified.
  • pp38 and glycoprotein B (gB) expression were analyzed via flow cytometry using monoclonal antibodies (MAbs).

Main Results:

  • Increasing IFN concentrations led to a stepwise reduction in MDV plaque numbers.
  • IFN suppressed pp38 expression in MDV-infected CEFs.
  • IFN also suppressed gB expression in HVT-infected cells.

Conclusions:

  • Chicken interferon demonstrates significant antiviral activity against MDV.
  • IFN effectively inhibits MDV replication and the expression of the oncogenic pp38 protein.
  • These findings suggest IFN's therapeutic potential in managing Marek's disease.

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