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The ORF1ab of Feline Coronavirus Plays a Critical Role in Regulating the Innate Immune Response

  • 0State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), 678 Haping Street, Harbin 150069, China.
Viruses +

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September 27, 2025

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September 27, 2025

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Understanding feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) is crucial. Researchers created a recombinant virus to study FIPV

Area Of Science

  • Veterinary Virology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Immunology

Background

  • Feline coronaviruses (FCoVs) comprise two groups: FIPV and FECV.
  • FIPV causes fatal feline infectious peritonitis, while FECV causes mild or no disease.
  • Distinguishing FIPV and FECV at the molecular level is currently impossible.

Purpose Of The Study

  • To investigate the molecular features of FIPV responsible for its pathogenicity.
  • To understand the role of specific viral regions in immune evasion.

Main Methods

  • Generation of a recombinant feline enteric coronavirus (FECV) by incorporating FIPV's ORF1ab and spike (S) protein sequences.
  • Analysis of viral growth kinetics and protein expression in host cells.
  • Proteomic and transcriptomic studies to assess innate immune response modulation.
  • Investigation of papain-like protease 2 (PL2pro) function in immune suppression.

Main Results

  • The recombinant virus showed similar growth kinetics to the parental FECV strain.
  • Replacement of FECV's ORF1ab with FIPV's ORF1ab significantly altered host cell protein expression.
  • FIPV's ORF1ab enhanced the suppression of the innate immune response compared to FECV.
  • Papain-like protease 2 (PL2pro) from both FIPV and FECV contributes to immune suppression, requiring protease activity.

Conclusions

  • The ORF1ab region of FIPV plays a key role in modulating host protein expression and suppressing the innate immune response.
  • Feline infectious peritonitis virus utilizes its papain-like protease 2 for immune evasion.
  • These findings provide insights into FIPV pathogenesis and potential targets for intervention.

Keywords:

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