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Canine distemper virus causes apoptosis of Vero cells
1College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
Apoptosis of Vero cells infected with two canine distemper virus (CDV) vaccine strains was detected using TdT (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase)-mediated dUTP nick end-labelling (TUNEL), flow cytometric analysis, agarose gel electrophoresis and electron microscopy (EM). By TUNEL, apoptotic cells were found in CDV-Onderstepoort (CDV-Ond)-infected cells. DNA fragments isolated from infected cells were separated by agarose gel electrophoresis and a 'ladder' pattern appeared. EM observations demonstrated that the cells undergoing cytopathic effect (CPE) possessed morphological characteristics of apoptotic cells. Flow cytometric analysis indicated that CDV could induce apoptosis of Vero cells, but the percentages of the apoptotic cells were correlated with the CPE types. The strain showing the cell-rounding type of CPE produced a much higher percentage of apoptotic cells than CDV-Ond with the syncytium type of CPE (P < 0.01). It was concluded that CDV vaccine strains could induce apoptosis of Vero cells and the apoptosis was virus strain-dependent and cell-dependent. The mechanism remains to be studied.
Insights
Canine distemper virus (CDV) vaccine strains can trigger apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in Vero cells. This apoptosis is dependent on the specific virus strain and cell type, with implications for vaccine development.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Cell Biology
- Immunology
Background:
- Canine distemper virus (CDV) is a significant pathogen affecting domestic and wild animals.
- Understanding the interaction between CDV vaccine strains and host cells is crucial for vaccine safety and efficacy.
- Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is a key cellular process that can be influenced by viral infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the induction of apoptosis in Vero cells by two distinct canine distemper virus (CDV) vaccine strains.
- To compare the apoptotic response elicited by different CDV vaccine strains and correlate it with observed cytopathic effects (CPE).
- To determine if apoptosis induced by CDV vaccine strains is virus strain-dependent and cell-dependent.
Main Methods:
- Detection of apoptosis using TdT-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) assay.
- Analysis of DNA fragmentation via agarose gel electrophoresis to identify a 'ladder' pattern characteristic of apoptosis.
- Morphological evaluation of apoptotic cells using electron microscopy (EM).
- Quantification of apoptotic cells using flow cytometry.
Main Results:
- TUNEL assay confirmed the presence of apoptotic Vero cells following infection with the CDV-Onderstepoort (CDV-Ond) strain.
- Agarose gel electrophoresis revealed DNA fragmentation, forming a 'ladder' pattern, in infected cells.
- Electron microscopy identified morphological features of apoptosis in cells exhibiting cytopathic effects (CPE).
- Flow cytometry demonstrated that CDV induces apoptosis in Vero cells, with percentages varying significantly between strains (P < 0.01).
- The CDV strain causing cell-rounding CPE induced a higher rate of apoptosis compared to the strain causing syncytium formation.
Conclusions:
- Canine distemper virus (CDV) vaccine strains are capable of inducing apoptosis in Vero cells.
- The induction of apoptosis is dependent on the specific CDV vaccine strain and the host cell type.
- The observed differences in apoptosis rates correlate with distinct cytopathic effect types induced by the vaccine strains.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the precise mechanisms underlying CDV-induced apoptosis.