A Mutant of Africa Swine Fever Virus Protein p72 Enhances Antibody Production and Regulates the Production of Cytokines

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a severe threat to the global pig industry, and domestic pigs mostly develop severe clinical manifestations upon viral invasion. Currently, there is no available vaccine against ASFV. Its capsid structural protein p72 is one of the immuno-dominant proteins. In thi...

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Main Authors: Mingzhi Li, Yihao Wang, Quansheng Wang, Lingdi Yang, Shiguo Liu, Guangzhi Li, Ziqi Song, Chulu Huang, Lumei Kang, Yanni Zhang, Ting Wang, Lingbao Kong, Sha Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Viruses
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/2/194
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author Mingzhi Li
Yihao Wang
Quansheng Wang
Lingdi Yang
Shiguo Liu
Guangzhi Li
Ziqi Song
Chulu Huang
Lumei Kang
Yanni Zhang
Ting Wang
Lingbao Kong
Sha Li
author_facet Mingzhi Li
Yihao Wang
Quansheng Wang
Lingdi Yang
Shiguo Liu
Guangzhi Li
Ziqi Song
Chulu Huang
Lumei Kang
Yanni Zhang
Ting Wang
Lingbao Kong
Sha Li
author_sort Mingzhi Li
collection DOAJ
description African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a severe threat to the global pig industry, and domestic pigs mostly develop severe clinical manifestations upon viral invasion. Currently, there is no available vaccine against ASFV. Its capsid structural protein p72 is one of the immuno-dominant proteins. In this study, we unexpectedly obtained a p72 mutant protein (p72<sub>∆377–428</sub>) which deleted the aa 377–428 within p72 and had stable and high expression in <i>E. coli</i>. Using SWISS-MODEL 1.0 software, the prediction showed that p72<sub>∆377–428</sub> was quite distinct from the wild-type p72 protein in structure. p72<sub>∆377–428</sub> induced stronger antibody production in mice on day 42 and 56 post immunization and could recognize ASFV-infected swine sera. p72<sub>∆377–428</sub> reduced IFN-γ production in the splenocytes from p72<sub>∆377–428</sub>-immunized mice and p72<sub>∆377–428</sub>-treated swine macrophages compared to p72. p72<sub>∆377–428</sub> also decreased the production of pro-inflammatory cytokine genes, including IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-12, compared to p72 in mice. Further, we found that p72<sub>∆377–428</sub> reduced the induction of pro-inflammatory cytokine genes by inhibiting AKT phosphorylation and HIF1α expression. Taken together, these findings have implications for immunological function and the corresponding mechanism of ASFV p72, and our study indicates that p72<sub>∆377–428</sub> could serve as a novel candidate for ASFV vaccines and diagnostic reagents.
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spelling doaj-art-42caadb2afda48bbab62de627e0107542025-08-20T03:11:19ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152025-01-0117219410.3390/v17020194A Mutant of Africa Swine Fever Virus Protein p72 Enhances Antibody Production and Regulates the Production of CytokinesMingzhi Li0Yihao Wang1Quansheng Wang2Lingdi Yang3Shiguo Liu4Guangzhi Li5Ziqi Song6Chulu Huang7Lumei Kang8Yanni Zhang9Ting Wang10Lingbao Kong11Sha Li12Institute of Pathogenic Microorganism, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330029, ChinaInstitute of Pathogenic Microorganism, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330029, ChinaInstitute of Pathogenic Microorganism, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330029, ChinaInstitute of Pathogenic Microorganism, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330029, ChinaInstitute of Pathogenic Microorganism, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330029, ChinaCollege of Bioscience and Engineering, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330029, ChinaCollege of Bioscience and Engineering, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330029, ChinaCollege of Bioscience and Engineering, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330029, ChinaCollege of Animal Science and Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330029, ChinaJiangxi Province Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanchang 330029, ChinaInstitute of Pathogenic Microorganism, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330029, ChinaInstitute of Pathogenic Microorganism, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330029, ChinaInstitute of Pathogenic Microorganism, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330029, ChinaAfrican swine fever virus (ASFV) is a severe threat to the global pig industry, and domestic pigs mostly develop severe clinical manifestations upon viral invasion. Currently, there is no available vaccine against ASFV. Its capsid structural protein p72 is one of the immuno-dominant proteins. In this study, we unexpectedly obtained a p72 mutant protein (p72<sub>∆377–428</sub>) which deleted the aa 377–428 within p72 and had stable and high expression in <i>E. coli</i>. Using SWISS-MODEL 1.0 software, the prediction showed that p72<sub>∆377–428</sub> was quite distinct from the wild-type p72 protein in structure. p72<sub>∆377–428</sub> induced stronger antibody production in mice on day 42 and 56 post immunization and could recognize ASFV-infected swine sera. p72<sub>∆377–428</sub> reduced IFN-γ production in the splenocytes from p72<sub>∆377–428</sub>-immunized mice and p72<sub>∆377–428</sub>-treated swine macrophages compared to p72. p72<sub>∆377–428</sub> also decreased the production of pro-inflammatory cytokine genes, including IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-12, compared to p72 in mice. Further, we found that p72<sub>∆377–428</sub> reduced the induction of pro-inflammatory cytokine genes by inhibiting AKT phosphorylation and HIF1α expression. Taken together, these findings have implications for immunological function and the corresponding mechanism of ASFV p72, and our study indicates that p72<sub>∆377–428</sub> could serve as a novel candidate for ASFV vaccines and diagnostic reagents.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/2/194ASFV p72mutantIFN-γHIF1αAKT
spellingShingle Mingzhi Li
Yihao Wang
Quansheng Wang
Lingdi Yang
Shiguo Liu
Guangzhi Li
Ziqi Song
Chulu Huang
Lumei Kang
Yanni Zhang
Ting Wang
Lingbao Kong
Sha Li
A Mutant of Africa Swine Fever Virus Protein p72 Enhances Antibody Production and Regulates the Production of Cytokines
Viruses
ASFV p72
mutant
IFN-γ
HIF1α
AKT
title A Mutant of Africa Swine Fever Virus Protein p72 Enhances Antibody Production and Regulates the Production of Cytokines
title_full A Mutant of Africa Swine Fever Virus Protein p72 Enhances Antibody Production and Regulates the Production of Cytokines
title_fullStr A Mutant of Africa Swine Fever Virus Protein p72 Enhances Antibody Production and Regulates the Production of Cytokines
title_full_unstemmed A Mutant of Africa Swine Fever Virus Protein p72 Enhances Antibody Production and Regulates the Production of Cytokines
title_short A Mutant of Africa Swine Fever Virus Protein p72 Enhances Antibody Production and Regulates the Production of Cytokines
title_sort mutant of africa swine fever virus protein p72 enhances antibody production and regulates the production of cytokines
topic ASFV p72
mutant
IFN-γ
HIF1α
AKT
url https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/2/194
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