Generation of Chimeric African Swine Fever Viruses Through <i>In Vitro</i> and <i>In Vivo</i> Intergenotypic Gene Complementation

<b>Background/Objectives</b>: African swine fever (ASF), a fatal febrile hemorrhagic disease in domestic pigs and Eurasian wild boars, is caused by ASF virus (ASFV). ASF continues to spread across the globe, causing a significant impact on the world’s pig industry. Recently, highly virul...

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Main Authors: Tomoya Kitamura, Kentaro Masujin, Mitsutaka Ikezawa, Aruna Ambagala, Takehiro Kokuho
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Vaccines
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/13/5/462
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author Tomoya Kitamura
Kentaro Masujin
Mitsutaka Ikezawa
Aruna Ambagala
Takehiro Kokuho
author_facet Tomoya Kitamura
Kentaro Masujin
Mitsutaka Ikezawa
Aruna Ambagala
Takehiro Kokuho
author_sort Tomoya Kitamura
collection DOAJ
description <b>Background/Objectives</b>: African swine fever (ASF), a fatal febrile hemorrhagic disease in domestic pigs and Eurasian wild boars, is caused by ASF virus (ASFV). ASF continues to spread across the globe, causing a significant impact on the world’s pig industry. Recently, highly virulent chimeric ASFV (chASFV) strains with recombined genomes of the p72 genotype I and II viruses have been reported in China, Vietnam and Russia. <b>Methods</b>: In order to understand the propensity of ASFV genome for recombination, we attempted to experimentally generate chASFVs both in vitro and <i>in vivo</i> employing two distinct attenuated ASFV strains: OUR T88/3 (genotype I) and AQSΔB119L (genotype II). <b>Results</b>: When IPKM cells were co-infected with ASFV OUR T88/3 and AQSΔB119L strains, three genetically distinct chASFV emerged. When pigs were inoculated with the individual chASFV isolates, all pigs developed acute ASF. When four pigs were co-infected with ASFV OUR T88/3 and AQSΔB119L, all of them developed acute ASF and died or were euthanized. Three chASFV strains were successfully isolated from splenic homogenates from each pig. <b>Conclusions</b>: Our research indicates that genotype I and II chASFV with diverse genomes can be easily generated experimentally both in vitro and <i>in vivo</i>.
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spelling doaj-art-e21f12b2d7784aedb5bda5eb7a787b1d2025-08-20T02:33:55ZengMDPI AGVaccines2076-393X2025-04-0113546210.3390/vaccines13050462Generation of Chimeric African Swine Fever Viruses Through <i>In Vitro</i> and <i>In Vivo</i> Intergenotypic Gene ComplementationTomoya Kitamura0Kentaro Masujin1Mitsutaka Ikezawa2Aruna Ambagala3Takehiro Kokuho4National Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tokyo 187-0022, JapanNational Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tokyo 187-0022, JapanNational Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tokyo 187-0022, JapanCanadian Food Inspection Agency, National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3M4, CanadaNational Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tokyo 187-0022, Japan<b>Background/Objectives</b>: African swine fever (ASF), a fatal febrile hemorrhagic disease in domestic pigs and Eurasian wild boars, is caused by ASF virus (ASFV). ASF continues to spread across the globe, causing a significant impact on the world’s pig industry. Recently, highly virulent chimeric ASFV (chASFV) strains with recombined genomes of the p72 genotype I and II viruses have been reported in China, Vietnam and Russia. <b>Methods</b>: In order to understand the propensity of ASFV genome for recombination, we attempted to experimentally generate chASFVs both in vitro and <i>in vivo</i> employing two distinct attenuated ASFV strains: OUR T88/3 (genotype I) and AQSΔB119L (genotype II). <b>Results</b>: When IPKM cells were co-infected with ASFV OUR T88/3 and AQSΔB119L strains, three genetically distinct chASFV emerged. When pigs were inoculated with the individual chASFV isolates, all pigs developed acute ASF. When four pigs were co-infected with ASFV OUR T88/3 and AQSΔB119L, all of them developed acute ASF and died or were euthanized. Three chASFV strains were successfully isolated from splenic homogenates from each pig. <b>Conclusions</b>: Our research indicates that genotype I and II chASFV with diverse genomes can be easily generated experimentally both in vitro and <i>in vivo</i>.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/13/5/462African swine fever virusvaccineschimerization<i>in vitro</i><i>in vivo</i>
spellingShingle Tomoya Kitamura
Kentaro Masujin
Mitsutaka Ikezawa
Aruna Ambagala
Takehiro Kokuho
Generation of Chimeric African Swine Fever Viruses Through <i>In Vitro</i> and <i>In Vivo</i> Intergenotypic Gene Complementation
Vaccines
African swine fever virus
vaccines
chimerization
<i>in vitro</i>
<i>in vivo</i>
title Generation of Chimeric African Swine Fever Viruses Through <i>In Vitro</i> and <i>In Vivo</i> Intergenotypic Gene Complementation
title_full Generation of Chimeric African Swine Fever Viruses Through <i>In Vitro</i> and <i>In Vivo</i> Intergenotypic Gene Complementation
title_fullStr Generation of Chimeric African Swine Fever Viruses Through <i>In Vitro</i> and <i>In Vivo</i> Intergenotypic Gene Complementation
title_full_unstemmed Generation of Chimeric African Swine Fever Viruses Through <i>In Vitro</i> and <i>In Vivo</i> Intergenotypic Gene Complementation
title_short Generation of Chimeric African Swine Fever Viruses Through <i>In Vitro</i> and <i>In Vivo</i> Intergenotypic Gene Complementation
title_sort generation of chimeric african swine fever viruses through i in vitro i and i in vivo i intergenotypic gene complementation
topic African swine fever virus
vaccines
chimerization
<i>in vitro</i>
<i>in vivo</i>
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/13/5/462
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