Biodegradation of persistent organics can overcome adsorption-desorption hysteresis in biological activated carbon systems.

In Biological Activated Carbon (BAC) systems, persistent organic pollutants can be removed through a combination of adsorption, desorption and biodegradation. These processes might be affected by the presence of other organics, especially by the more abundant easily-biodegradable organics, like acetate. In this research these relations are quantified for the removal of the persistent pharmaceutical metoprolol. Acetate did not affect the adsorption and desorption of metoprolol, but it did greatly enhance the metoprolol biodegradation. At least part of the BAC biomass growing on acetate was also able to metabolise metoprolol, although metoprolol was only converted after the acetate was depleted. The presence of easily-degradable organics like acetate in the feeding water is therefore beneficial for the removal of metoprolol in BAC systems. The isotherms obtained from metoprolol adsorption and desorption experiments showed that BAC systems are subject to hysteresis; for AC bioregeneration to take place the microbial biomass has to reduce the concentration at the AC-biomass interface 2.7 times compared to the concentration at which the carbon was being loaded. However, given the threshold concentration of the MET degrading microorganisms (<0.08 µg/L) versus the average influent concentration (1.3 µg/L), bioregeneration is feasible.

The influence of the inactivating agent on the antigen content of inactivated Newcastle disease vaccines assessed by the in vitro potency test.

An in vitro potency test has recently been included in the European Pharmacopoeia (EP) monograph (01/2007:0870) to assess the potency of inactivated Newcastle disease (ND) vaccines. This enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is an attractive alternative for the existing in vivo potency tests especially with regard to the objective of the European Authorities to Replace, Reduce and Refine the use of laboratory animals for production and quality control of immunobiologicals. In the present study the influence of the inactivant on the antigen content established by ELISA was evaluated. Therefore, oil based vaccines containing similar concentrations of beta-propiolactone (BPL) or formaldehyde inactivated Newcastle disease virus (NDV) were examined by ELISA and in the in vivo potency tests outlined in the EP. The results obtained demonstrate that the use of formaldehyde as inactivant lowered the in vitro potency compared to BPL as inactivant. In contrast, the in vivo potency was not affected. Therefore, the ELISA should not be used to compare the potency of commercial ND vaccines containing formaldehyde inactivated NDV with those containing BPL inactivated NDV. However, the ELISA is considered an attractive alternative for the existing in vivo potency tests since it can be used by vaccine manufacturers for the release of inactivated ND vaccines.

A reovirus challenge model applicable in commercial broilers after live vaccination.

The efficacy of live reovirus vaccines may be determined by challenge via the foot pad route 3 to 4 weeks after vaccination. Swelling and discoloration in the foot pad and shank are scored for a period of 14 days. The major disadvantages of this challenge model are the subjective judgement of gross foot pad and/or shank lesions, that it is very difficult to induce lesions in broilers, and that it causes animal suffering. Other reovirus challenge models are based on reisolation of the virus from different tissues or on scoring microscopic lesions in the tendons. Some disadvantages of these models are that they either cannot be used after vaccination with live reovirus because they cannot discriminate between vaccine and challenge virus or that the microscopic lesions scored need not necessarily be related to the challenge virus but may have been induced by other factors. Therefore, we have attempted to develop a reovirus challenge model that was an improvement on the existing ones, using isolation of reovirus from different organs followed by specific detection of the challenge virus with a monoclonal antibody that can discriminate between challenge and vaccine virus. The reovirus challenge model was examined in specific pathogen free (SPF) White Leghorn chickens and commercial broilers. In vivo studies were conducted to examine the efficacy of an attenuated reovirus vaccine in SPF White Leghorn chickens and commercial broilers with maternal immunity against reovirus. No challenge virus could be detected in any of the organs of the vaccinated chickens 3 and 10 days after challenge. In contrast, challenge virus could be isolated from the unvaccinated control group. At an increased challenge dose all unvaccinated challenge control birds were positive, while the vaccinated chickens were protected. It was shown that 1-day-old vaccination in the presence of maternal immunity was effective. It seemed that protection induced in broilers by the attenuated reovirus vaccine may not have been entirely humoral because in protected birds no antibodies against reovirus were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent at the time of challenge. Protection in these birds might therefore have been induced by cellular immunity.

An inactivated bovine virus diarrhoea virus (BVDV) type 1 vaccine affords clinical protection against BVDV type 2.

This study was designed to answer to two distinct questions. Firstly, is it possible to reproduce clinical signs of acute bovine virus diarrhoea virus (BVDV) type 2 infection including signs of haemorrhagic disease under experimental conditions in cattle at 20 weeks of age? Secondly, what is the extent of the protection afforded by vaccination with an inactivated BVDV type 1 vaccine against BVDV type 2 infection? Calves were vaccinated at 12 and 16 weeks of age with a commercially available inactivated BVDV type 1 vaccine (Bovilis BVD). At 20 weeks they were challenge infected with BVDV type 2 virus together with unvaccinated control calves. The unvaccinated animals developed typical signs of respiratory disease, diarrhoea with erosions and haemorrhages along the whole length gastro-intestinal tract, and depletion of lymphocytes in lymphatic organs. These signs were either absent or markedly less severe in the vaccinated animals. The beneficial effects of vaccination were most striking in the haematological parameters thrombocytopenia and leukopenia. It can be concluded that vaccination with Bovilis BVD affords cross-protection against clinical effects of a challenge-infection with heterologous type 2 BVDV.

Antigenic characterization of IBDV field isolates by their reactivity with a panel of monoclonal antibodies.

Recently Infectious Bursal Disease Virus isolates have been described in USA displaying an antigenic drift. Many of the new isolates were very virulent for chickens. In several European countries severe outbreaks of Gumboro disease have also been reported from vaccinated and non-vaccinated flocks. Since vaccinated SPF birds were shown to be protected against challenge infection with the new isolates under laboratory conditions, a more detailed investigation of the European isolates is wanted. The similarity between the European and US field situation got us to use a panel of monoclonal antibodies (MCAs) previously applied to characterize US strains for testing European isolates. An antigen capture ELISA has been carried out directly on bursa homogenates of chickens form the field. One European (F52/70) and two US (Var. E and GLS-5) strains have been included as reference viruses. From the results presented here it can be concluded that the European isolates (Netherlands, France, UK, Germany, Jugoslavia and Spain) did not undergo the same antigenic drift as the US strains. A more extensive analysis of the isolates will be done to elucidate their role for disease outbreaks.

Measles virus fusion protein presented in an immune-stimulating complex (iscom) induces haemolysis-inhibiting and fusion-inhibiting antibodies, virus-specific T cells and protection in mice.

Immune-stimulating complexes (iscoms), which have recently been shown to be highly effective for the antigenic presentation of membrane proteins of viruses, were prepared with affinity-purified fusion (F) protein of measles virus (MV), using an adaptation of the standard method for iscom preparation. Immunization of monkeys with the F iscom preparation induced biologically active anti-F protein antibodies as was shown in haemolysis inhibition and cell-cell fusion inhibition tests. A whole MV iscom preparation, which also contained the haemagglutinin protein, induced not only also haemolysis-inhibiting antibodies, but, in contrast to the F iscom preparation, also haemagglutination-inhibiting and virus-neutralizing antibodies. In addition the F iscom preparation was shown to activate measles virus-specific T cells in mice. This was demonstrated by the generation of an MV-specific delayed type hypersensitivity response in F iscom-immunized animals and by the isolation of T cell clones specific for MV F protein with the T helper phenotype. Vaccination of mice with MV iscom or F iscom protected them from MV-induced fatal encephalopathy. The data concerning the immunogenicity of MV proteins presented in iscoms are discussed in relation to their potential for the development of an inactivated measles vaccine.

Inhibition of measles virus-induced cell-cell fusion with a monoclonal antibody directed against the haemagglutinin.

A neutralizing monoclonal antibody (C26-15) against the haemagglutinin (H protein) of measles virus was generated which caused cell-cell fusion inhibition in cultures of measles virus-infected cells. It was shown that this phenomenon coincided with a down-regulation of the expression of both the H protein and the fusion (F) protein. We also showed cell-cell fusion inhibition with a polyclonal rabbit serum directed against Tween-ether inactivated measles virus, which did not contain biologically active antibodies against the F protein. Cell-cell fusion inhibition caused by anti-H antibodies is distinct from cell-cell fusion inhibition induced by a direct interaction of anti-F antibody with the F protein in the membrane of infected cells. Since both mechanisms may also be involved in the in vivo situation, the exclusive role for the generation of anti-F antibody to prevent virus spread by cell-cell fusion in vivo is questioned. It is speculated that the observed down-regulation of both glycoproteins may lead to a less efficient killing of infected cells by cytotoxic T-lymphocytes, which may constitute an alternative explanation for the insufficient protection after vaccination with an inactivated measles vaccine.

Inactivated poliovirus vaccine: current production methods and new developments.

The biotechnologic developments during the last decade have led to the production of inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) on an industrial scale and at economically acceptable costs. Replacement of primary monkey kidney cells by subcultured monkey kidney, Vero, or human diploid cells as substrate for virus multiplication as well as the introduction of the microcarrier culture technique have made cell and virus cultivation in large fermentors of 100-1,000 liters feasible. Procedures for processing virus harvests into highly concentrated purified vaccines were developed; also, the safety and potency control tests were improved and simplified. It has been demonstrated that these more potent poliovirus vaccines, either alone or in combination with diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, induce a high immunity with reduced vaccination schedules. The overall costs of vaccination will be reduced considerably in this way. In addition, the results of biochemical and immunologic studies indicate that neutralizing antibodies can be induced by the viral proteins alone. These findings open up promising perspectives for production of subunit poliovirus vaccines with use of recombinant DNA and synthetic antigen, a method that has already proved feasible for producing vaccine against foot and mouth disease. These new techniques may lead to a further reduction of production costs and will improve the safety of the vaccine.

Induction of neutralizing antibodies by poliovirus capsid polypeptides VP1, VP2 and VP3.

The antigenic and immunogenic properties of poliovirus capsid polypeptides (VPs) have been investigated in vivo and in vitro. VPs were isolated from infectious and formalin inactivated virus. Upon immunization VPs from infectious virus did not induce neutralizing antibodies in laboratory animals after two or three injections. Monomeric VP1, VP2 and VP3 from formalin inactivated virus all induced high titres of neutralizing antibodies generally already after two injections. Some anti-VP sera neutralized heterologous virus types. All anti-VP sera reacted with the corresponding capsid polypeptides from the homologous and heterologous virus strains in an immunoblotting assay. The anti-VP sera reacted equally well with D- and C-antigen in ELISA. Our results indicate that not only VP1, but also VP2 and VP3 are involved in the induction of neutralizing antibodies.

Induction of antigen-specific antibody response in human peripheral blood lymphocytes in vitro by a dog kidney cell vaccine against rabies virus (DKCV).

In the present report an in vitro method for obtaining a secondary human antibody response to a dog kidney cell vaccine against rabies virus (DKCV) is described. Cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from normal rabies-immune and nonimmune donors were stimulated in vitro by DKCV. The production of virus-specific antibody in supernatant fluids was monitored by ELISA. Antibody was produced by lymphocytes from rabies-immune individuals, whereas those of nonimmune subjects consistently failed to produce anti-rabies antibodies after in vitro stimulation with DKCV. The generation of the anti-rabies virus antibody response of lymphocytes stimulated with DKCV was shown to be an antigen-dependent, as well as an antigen-specific process. Optimal antigen-specific responses were observed at relatively low concentrations of antigen (10(-1) to 10(-2) micrograms/culture). At increasing concentrations of antigen in culture (greater than 1 microgram/culture), the anti-rabies virus response was suppressed. Antibody produced upon stimulation was capable of neutralizing rabies virus. The response to rabies virus requires T cell help because lymphocytes depleted of SE rosetting cells did not respond to an antigenic stimulus. Studies in which the same individuals were followed over time showed a sequential development of circulating B cell subsets. The system may provide a model for the study of human B cell differentiation in vivo and in vitro and may be valuable for testing the potency of rabies vaccines in vitro.

Antigenicity and immunogenicity of poliovirus capsid proteins.

Poliovirus capsid proteins (VP's) were isolated by DEAE-Sepharose chromatography in the presence of RNA-se and 9 M urea or by preparative SDS-polyacrylamide gelelectrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). With the first method, several, but not all, capsid proteins, from the three different virus types could be isolated in pure form, probably because of incomplete dissociation of the virus particles in 9 M urea. With SDS-PAGE all capsid proteins could be isolated in pure form. Immunization of rats and rabbits with the three largest VP's (VP1, VP2 and VP3) isolated by both methods, resulted in the induction of neutralizing antibodies already after 2-3 injections, provided the capsid proteins were isolated from formalin inactivated virus. Apparently formalin treatment stabilized the antigenic determinants, which are responsible for induction of neutralizing antibodies, against denaturation upon VP-isolation. In contrast to several other picornaviruses, where only one of the VP's induces neutralizing antibodies, for poliovirus both VP1, VP2 and VP3 are able to induce neutralizing antibodies. VP's isolated from live virus did not induce neutralizing antibodies, but were able to "prime" the animals. Primary vaccination with any of the VP's, followed by a second injection with a low dose of vaccine (D-antigen) resulted in a boosterlike production of neutralizing antibodies against the D-antigen, even D-antigen of a heterotypic virus. This indicates the occurrence of common antigenic regions on the different capsid polypeptides.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Quantitative determination of rabies antigen by ELISA.

Two ELISA methods are described for quantitation of rabies envelope glycoprotein in suspensions containing liver or inactivated virus. One of these methods is currently used for "in process" control at the production of inactivated rabies vaccine in our laboratory. The results obtained with the ELISA-test have been compared with those from the classical NIH-test for a number of freeze dried vaccine preparations. Although no perfect correlation was obtained good vaccine lots could easily be distinguished from poor ones. Using the ELISA-test already at the start of the production process predictions can be made on the quality of the final product. At such the ELISA-test may be considered as an improvement in the standardization of inactivated rabies vaccine production.

Detection and elimination of cellular nucleic acids in biologicals produced on continuous cell lines.

Experiments have been conducted to determine the extent to which currently available purification techniques can remove contaminating substrate cellular DNA from inactivated poliovirus vaccine produced on continuous cell lines rising highly [32P]-labeled, nick-translated cellular DNA added to poliovirus suspensions, we found that purification procedures were capable, in small-scale experiments, of reducing contaminating DNA by factors of 10(3) (DNAse treatment followed by gel filtration) and 10(3)-3X10(5) (ion exchange chromatography). Sequential application of these purification steps should reduce contaminating cellular DNA to acceptable levels. We also examined the potential usefulness of immobilized nucleic acid hybridization techniques for the routine direct testing of residual cellular nucleic acids in final production lots of inactivated poliovirus vaccine and other biologicals. A filter hybridization test, using [32P]-labeled, nick-translated cellular DNA as a probe, was capable of detecting 40 pg of homologous cellular DNA. Using probes of higher specific activity the assay should be sensitive enough for use in routine quality control.

D-antigen determination in polio vaccine production: comparison of gel diffusion and ELISA methods.

Up to now gel diffusion is widely used for in vitro determination of polio D-antigen. This method has several disadvantages, its relatively low sensitivity being the main one. Generally samples have to be concentrated, which requires fairly large amounts of material and often results in some loss of antigen due to adsorption. Two ELISA methods have been developed for determination of polio D-antigen. These tests have a high sensitivity, approximately 1 DU/ml, and require very small amounts of sample and antisera. Using the indirect method only one HRPO conjugated antiserum is needed for quantitation of type 1, 2 and 3 D-antigen. Comparison of D-antigen values obtained by ELISA and gel diffusion for a number of vaccines revealed a good correlation between the different methods. The indirect ELISA method has also been applied successfully for D-antigen quantitation of A1PO4 adsorbed DT-and DPT-polio vaccines.

Concentration and purification of poliovirus by immune adsorption on immobilized antibodies.

Antibodies to poliovirus type 1, 2 and 3 have been coupled to Sepharose 4 B. The immune sorbentia have high binding capacities for both live and inactivated virus. Bound antigen is eluted with a high concentration of ammoniumisothiocyanate. Immediately after elution the chaotropic salt is removed by gelfiltration. The antigen recovery with inactivated virus was low; however, with live virus a good recovery was obtained. Therefore, immune adsorption seems to be applicable for concentration and purification of large amounts of live poliovirus.

Isolation of biologically active components from rabies and other envelope viruses.

Most human virus vaccines contain complete virus particles, either inactivated or attenuated. Besides components responsible for induction of neutralizing antibodies, other virus components (e.g. nucleic acids, lipids) are also administered upon vaccination. For envelope viruses the (glyco) proteins of the viral envelope are generally involved in the induction of neutralizing antibodies. Our investigations are focussed on the large scale preparation of these components from several viruses or virus vaccines, such as rabies and influenza. For virus disintegration we have tested several ionic anc nonionic detergents. Triton X-100 gave good results. Separation of solubilized components from the remainder of the virus has been carried out on a small scale by ultracentrifugation. For the purification of influenza hemagglutinin and neuraminidase we also used gelfiltration with success. The latter process can be scaled up easily. The main problem in the process of virus subunit preparation is the removal of detergent.