The Deletion of the MGF360-10L/505-7R Genes of African Swine Fever Virus Results in High Attenuation but No Protection Against Homologous Challenge in Pigs

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is the causative agent of African swine fever (ASF), a severe hemorrhagic disease with a mortality rate reaching 100%. Despite extensive research on ASFV mechanisms, no safe and effective vaccines or antiviral treatments have been developed. Live attenuated vaccines...

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Main Authors: Linlin Zheng, Zilong Yan, Xiaolan Qi, Jingjing Ren, Zhao Ma, Huanan Liu, Zhao Zhang, Dan Li, Jingjing Pei, Shuqi Xiao, Tao Feng, Xinglong Wang, Haixue Zheng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Viruses
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/2/283
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author Linlin Zheng
Zilong Yan
Xiaolan Qi
Jingjing Ren
Zhao Ma
Huanan Liu
Zhao Zhang
Dan Li
Jingjing Pei
Shuqi Xiao
Tao Feng
Xinglong Wang
Haixue Zheng
author_facet Linlin Zheng
Zilong Yan
Xiaolan Qi
Jingjing Ren
Zhao Ma
Huanan Liu
Zhao Zhang
Dan Li
Jingjing Pei
Shuqi Xiao
Tao Feng
Xinglong Wang
Haixue Zheng
author_sort Linlin Zheng
collection DOAJ
description African swine fever virus (ASFV) is the causative agent of African swine fever (ASF), a severe hemorrhagic disease with a mortality rate reaching 100%. Despite extensive research on ASFV mechanisms, no safe and effective vaccines or antiviral treatments have been developed. Live attenuated vaccines generated via gene deletion are considered to be highly promising. We developed a novel recombinant ASFV strain by deleting <i>MGF360-10L</i> and <i>MGF505-7R</i>, significantly reducing virulence in pigs. In the inoculation experiment, pigs were infected with 10<sup>4</sup> 50% hemadsorption doses (HAD<sub>50</sub>) of the mutant strain. All the animals survived the observation period without showing ASF-related clinical signs. Importantly, no significant viral infections were detected in the cohabitating pigs. In the virus challenge experiment, all pigs succumbed after being challenged with the parent strain. RNA-seq analysis showed that the recombinant virus induced slightly higher expression of natural immune factors than the parent ASFV; however, this level was insufficient to provide immune protection. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that deleting <i>MGF360-10L</i> and <i>MGF505-7R</i> from ASFV CN/GS/2018 significantly reduces virulence but fails to provide protection against the parent strain.
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spelling doaj-art-26e7b65acff74b1f8b2691cc3cb1d4b72025-08-20T02:04:07ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152025-02-0117228310.3390/v17020283The Deletion of the MGF360-10L/505-7R Genes of African Swine Fever Virus Results in High Attenuation but No Protection Against Homologous Challenge in PigsLinlin Zheng0Zilong Yan1Xiaolan Qi2Jingjing Ren3Zhao Ma4Huanan Liu5Zhao Zhang6Dan Li7Jingjing Pei8Shuqi Xiao9Tao Feng10Xinglong Wang11Haixue Zheng12State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, Lanzhou University, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, ChinaState Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, Lanzhou University, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046, ChinaState Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, Lanzhou University, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, ChinaState Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, Lanzhou University, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046, ChinaState Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, Lanzhou University, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046, ChinaState Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, Lanzhou University, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046, ChinaState Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, Lanzhou University, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046, ChinaState Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, Lanzhou University, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046, ChinaState Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, Lanzhou University, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712199, ChinaState Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, Lanzhou University, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046, ChinaAfrican swine fever virus (ASFV) is the causative agent of African swine fever (ASF), a severe hemorrhagic disease with a mortality rate reaching 100%. Despite extensive research on ASFV mechanisms, no safe and effective vaccines or antiviral treatments have been developed. Live attenuated vaccines generated via gene deletion are considered to be highly promising. We developed a novel recombinant ASFV strain by deleting <i>MGF360-10L</i> and <i>MGF505-7R</i>, significantly reducing virulence in pigs. In the inoculation experiment, pigs were infected with 10<sup>4</sup> 50% hemadsorption doses (HAD<sub>50</sub>) of the mutant strain. All the animals survived the observation period without showing ASF-related clinical signs. Importantly, no significant viral infections were detected in the cohabitating pigs. In the virus challenge experiment, all pigs succumbed after being challenged with the parent strain. RNA-seq analysis showed that the recombinant virus induced slightly higher expression of natural immune factors than the parent ASFV; however, this level was insufficient to provide immune protection. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that deleting <i>MGF360-10L</i> and <i>MGF505-7R</i> from ASFV CN/GS/2018 significantly reduces virulence but fails to provide protection against the parent strain.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/2/283ASFVMGF360-10LMGF505-7Rattenuated strainimmunoprotection
spellingShingle Linlin Zheng
Zilong Yan
Xiaolan Qi
Jingjing Ren
Zhao Ma
Huanan Liu
Zhao Zhang
Dan Li
Jingjing Pei
Shuqi Xiao
Tao Feng
Xinglong Wang
Haixue Zheng
The Deletion of the MGF360-10L/505-7R Genes of African Swine Fever Virus Results in High Attenuation but No Protection Against Homologous Challenge in Pigs
Viruses
ASFV
MGF360-10L
MGF505-7R
attenuated strain
immunoprotection
title The Deletion of the MGF360-10L/505-7R Genes of African Swine Fever Virus Results in High Attenuation but No Protection Against Homologous Challenge in Pigs
title_full The Deletion of the MGF360-10L/505-7R Genes of African Swine Fever Virus Results in High Attenuation but No Protection Against Homologous Challenge in Pigs
title_fullStr The Deletion of the MGF360-10L/505-7R Genes of African Swine Fever Virus Results in High Attenuation but No Protection Against Homologous Challenge in Pigs
title_full_unstemmed The Deletion of the MGF360-10L/505-7R Genes of African Swine Fever Virus Results in High Attenuation but No Protection Against Homologous Challenge in Pigs
title_short The Deletion of the MGF360-10L/505-7R Genes of African Swine Fever Virus Results in High Attenuation but No Protection Against Homologous Challenge in Pigs
title_sort deletion of the mgf360 10l 505 7r genes of african swine fever virus results in high attenuation but no protection against homologous challenge in pigs
topic ASFV
MGF360-10L
MGF505-7R
attenuated strain
immunoprotection
url https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/2/283
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