ISOLATION AND SEROTYPIC CHARACTERIZATION OF HUMAN AND ANIMAL ROTAVIRUSES

A组轮状病毒的外衣壳由两种蛋白质组成： VP4(由基因组片段4编码)和VP7(由基因组片段7、8编码 或9取决于菌株)，两者都是不同的中和作用 抗原。因为中和抗体似乎扮演着重要的角色 在许多病毒疾病中起保护作用的两个外壳 诱导中和抗体的轮状病毒抗原(VP4和VP7) 在研究和开发一种 轮状病毒疫苗。轮状病毒的血清型分类 根据VP7的中和特异性进展顺利 通过采用以前适用于其他病毒的原则。这个 这一制度的基石是，菌株被认为是一种 当中和能力相差20倍时，不同的血清型 在该菌株和已建立的菌株之间观察到抗体效价 血清型。根据这一标准，14个VP7血清型(G血清型) 已经被定义了。然而，有相当大的混乱，关于 根据VP4特异性对菌株进行分类是因为 缺乏识别VP4中和的特异性抗血清 专一性。因此，有几个菌株被分类为 中和，但大多数人都根据VP4分配了号码 以核酸杂交为基础的遗传关系和 VP4基因的序列分析。然而，一种由 非血清学方法并不总是与由 血清学方法。中和特异度分析 VP7和VP4都需要用来更好地理解轮状病毒 流行病学和制定有效的控制战略 通过免疫预防轮状病毒病。该项目的目标是 三重：(I)在细胞培养中直接培养各种 来自不同地域的人和动物轮状病毒株 地区和种群；(2)定义血清型多样性和相似性 根据这些病毒的VP4和VP7的特异性；及 选择和开发潜在的轮状病毒候选疫苗(AS 在“轮状病毒致病的遗传学研究”项目中描述)。这个 轮状病毒中和特异性的培养是 重要的是要更全面地了解 轮状病毒流行病学和制定有效的战略 接种疫苗。

The outer capsid of group A rotaviruses is comprised of two proteins: VP4 (encoded by genome segment 4) and VP7 (encoded by genome segment 7,8 or 9 depending on the strain), both of which are distinct neutralization antigens. Because neutralizing antibodies appear to play an important role in protection against many viral diseases, the two outer capsid rotavirus antigens (VP4 and VP7) that induce neutralizing antibodies have played a central role in the research and development of a rotavirus vaccine. Classification of rotaviruses into serotypes according to VP7 specificity by neutralization has progressed smoothly by adopting principles previously applied to other viruses. The cornerstone of this system is that a strain is considered to be a distinct serotype when a reciprocal >20-fold difference in neutralizing antibody titer is observed between that strain and established serotypes. Based on this criterion, fourteen VP7 serotypes (G serotype) have been defined. However, there is considerable confusion regarding the classification of strains according to VP4 specificity because of the lack of specific antisera that recognize VP4 neutralization specificity. As a result, a few strains have been classified by neutralization but most have been assigned numbers according to VP4 genetic relationships on the basis of nucleic acid hybridization and sequence analysis of the VP4 gene. However, a genotype established by nonserological methods is not always identical to a serotype defined by serological methods. An analysis of the neutralization specificity on both VP7 and VP4 is needed for a better understanding of rotavirus epidemiology and for formulation of an effective strategy for control of rotavirus disease by immunization. Objectives in this project are three-fold: (i) to cultivate directly in cell cultures a variety of human and animal rotavirus strains derived from diverse geographical areas and populations; (ii) to define serotypic diversity and similarity among these viruses based on their VP4 and VP7 specificities; and (iii) to select and develop potential rotavirus vaccine candidates (as described in project "Genetic studies of Rotavirus Pathogenesis"). The educidation of the neutralization specificities of rotavirus is important in order to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of rotavirus epidemiology and for formulation of an effective strategy for vaccination.