Identification of differentially expressed genes in shrimp (Penaeus stylirostris) infected with White spot syndrome virus by cDNA microarrays.

White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) is currently the most important viral pathogen infecting penaeid shrimp worldwide. Although considerable progress has been made in characterizing the WSSV genome and developing detection methods, information pertaining to host genes involved in WSSV pathogenesis is limited. We examined the potential of cDNA microarray analysis to study gene expression in WSSV-infected shrimp. Shrimp cDNAs were printed as low-density arrays on glass slides and were hybridized with Cy3/Cy5 labeled probes derived from RNA isolated from healthy and WSSV-infected shrimp. Genes that code for proteins that are relevant to crustacean immunity, structural proteins, as well as proteins of unknown function were among those whose mRNA expression was altered upon WSSV infection. To validate the microarray data, the temporal expression of three differentially expressed genes, an immune gene (C-type lectin-1), a structural gene (40S ribosomal protein), and a gene involved in lipid metabolism (fatty acid binding protein) was measured in healthy and WSSV-infected shrimp by real-time RT-PCR. The data suggest that WSSV infection alters the expression of a wide array of cellular genes, and provides a framework for further studies aimed at identifying genes whose function may provide insight into the mechanism of WSSV infection in shrimp.

Isolation of differentially expressed genes from white spot virus (WSV) infected Pacific blue shrimp (Penaeus stylirostris).

To isolate novel cellular factors that are activated or repressed upon WSV infection, the RNA fingerprints of healthy and WSV infected blue shrimp ( Penaeus stylirostris) were compared using the mRNA differential display technique. Thirty-two unique differentially expressed, and one constitutively expressed, cDNA sequences were retrieved. Six of 32 cDNAs showed similarities with the database entries: cDNA 10G32-142 to a shrimp arginine kinase, 22C48-201 to shrimp mitochondrial ATPase gene; 22C47-197, 21G49-203 and 20A55-268 to shrimp ESTs and 20G50-206 to a WSV gene, ORF 116. The constitutively expressed gene showed significant similarity to a yeast elongation factor 1-alpha gene. The expression of a subset of differentially expressed genes (13 of 32) was further evaluated by real-time RT-PCR. Ten of 13 genes showed statistically significant changes in expression between healthy and WSV infected animals suggesting that these genes may play an important role in WSV pathogenesis.

Detection and quantification of infectious hypodermal and hematopoietic necrosis virus and white spot virus in shrimp using real-time quantitative PCR and SYBR Green chemistry.

A rapid and highly sensitive real-time PCR detection and quantification method for infectious hypodermal and hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHHNV), a single-stranded DNA virus, and white spot virus (WSV), a double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) virus infecting penaeid shrimp (Penaeus sp.), was developed using the GeneAmp 5700 sequence detection system coupled with SYBR Green chemistry. The PCR mixture contains a fluorescence dye, SYBR Green, which upon binding to dsDNA exhibits fluorescence enhancement. The enhancement of fluorescence was proportional to the initial concentration of the template DNA. A linear relationship was observed between the amount of input plasmid DNA and cycle threshold (C(T)) values over a range of 1 to 10(5) copies of the viral genome. To control the variation in sampling and processing among samples, the shrimp beta-actin gene was amplified in parallel with the viral DNA. The C(T) values of IHHNV- and WSV-infected samples were used to determine absolute viral copy numbers from the standard C(T) curves of these viruses. For each virus and its beta-actin control, the specificity of amplification was monitored by using the dissociation curve of the amplified product. Using genomic DNA as a template, SYBR Green PCR was found to be 100- to 2000-fold more sensitive than conventional PCR, depending on the virus, for the samples tested. The results demonstrate that SYBR Green PCR can be used as a rapid and highly sensitive detection and quantification method for shrimp viruses and that it is amenable to high-throughout assay.

The alternative pathway of T cell activation: biology, pathophysiology, and perspectives for immunopharmacology.

The application of monoclonal antibodies and recombinant mediators to studies of T cell activation has led to a new concept regarding the central mechanisms underlying specific immune responses in man. Stimulation of human T cells to express their functional programs with regard to immunoregulatory activities and effector functions can be mediated through several distinct mechanisms or pathways. We report on the recently discovered T3-Ti antigen receptor independent mode of human T cell activation, namely, the T11-mediated "alternative pathway." Recent evidence supports the notion that this pathway plays an important role in the immune response in man and that failure to activate T cells through T11 is associated with immunodeficiency. The characterization of functional epitopes of the T11 molecule along with functional investigations on patients suffering from etiologically different cases of immunodeficiency provides important perspectives for future pharmacological interventions into the human immune system. It seems likely that immunologic disorders such as autoimmune disease and immunodeficiencies result from overamplification or blockades of the "alternative pathway of T cell activation" and that the T11 epitope represents a potential site for selective inhibition of the "alternative pathway of T cell activation," e.g., by means of synthetic peptide analogues. Conversely, high affinity ligands to the T11 epitope might be suitable for immunostimulation immunodeficiencies that result from circulating blocking factors of the LFA-3/T11 interaction.