N. Madan

RETRACTED: Chitosan tripolyphosphate (CS/TPP) nanoparticles: Preparation, characterization and application for gene delivery in shrimp

The present study examines the use of CS/TPP nanoparticles for gene delivery in different tissues of shrimp through oral route. The viral gene of WSSV was used to construct DNA vaccines using pcDNA 3.1, a eukaryotic expression vector and the constructs were named as pVP28. The CS/TPP nanoparticles were synthesized by ionic gelation process and these particles were characterized. The structure and morphology of the nanoparticles were studied by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectra). The cytotoxicity of CS/TPP nanoparticles was evaluated by MTT assay using fish cell line. The expression of gene was confirmed by Immuno-dot blot, ELISA and RT-PCR analyses. The results indicate that DNA can be easily delivered into shrimp by feeding with CS/TPP nanoparticles.

Efficacy of bacterially expressed dsRNA specific to different structural genes of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) in protection of shrimp from WSSV infection

White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) is responsible for severe economic losses in shrimp culture worldwide. Any practical method to eradicate or inactivate WSSV in culture systems would have enormous practical benefits for shrimp farmers and hatchery operators. Various studies have been carried out on control of WSSV, including neutralization using antiserum (Van Hulten, Witteveldt, Snippe & Vlak 2001), recombinant subunit vaccines (Namikoshi, Wu, Yamashita, Nishizawa, Nishioka, Arimoto & Muroga 2004; Jha, Xu, Shen, Bai, Sun & Wei 2006), DNA vaccines (Rajesh Kumar, Ishaq Ahmed, Sarathi, Nazeer Basha & Sahul Hameed 2008) and antiviral plant extract (Balasubramanian, Sarathi, Rajesh Kumar & Sahul Hameed 2007). However, there is no efficient strategy to control the spread of this very serious disease. RNA interference (RNAi) has recently emerged as a powerful tool for specific gene silencing in antiviral therapy. The efficiency of RNAi in shrimp was demonstrated by in vivo injection of dsRNA corresponding to the gonad inhibiting hormone (GIH) in the sand shrimp, Metapenaeus ensis, which lowered the expression of GIH (Guan, Mak & Chan 2004). Several recent articles have reported that siRNAs or dsRNA synthesized in vitro are potential therapeutic agents for treating white spot syndrome (Robalino, Bartlett, Shepard, Prior, Jaramillo, Scura, Chapman, Gross, Browdy & Warr 2005; Westenberg, Heinhuis, Zuidema & Vlak 2005; Kim, Kosuke, Nam, Kim & Kim 2007; Xu, Han & Zhang 2007). The in vitro production of dsRNA may not be useful for field applications; however, the present study describes the production of bacterially expressed virus specific dsRNAs, which opens the possibility of developing dsRNA based antiviral therapeutics for commercial use. This study reports the use of an RNase III-deficient strain of E. coli HT115(DE3) (Timmons, Court & Fire 2001) to produce bacterially derived dsRNAs specific to WSSV structural genes and their interference with WSSV infection in shrimp. Our previous studies have shown that intramuscular administration of bacterially expressed VP28dsRNA results in the protection of Penaeus monodon against WSSV (Sarathi, Simon, Ishaq Ahmed, Rajesh Kumar & Sahul Hameed 2008a). The present study determined the protective effect of bacterially expressed dsRNA specific to different structural genes of WSSV other than VP28. We targeted the four Journal of Fish Diseases 2010, 33, 603–607 doi:10.1111/j.1365-2761.2010.01157.x

Comparison of betanodavirus replication efficiency in ten Indian fish cell lines.

Ten cell lines established from Indian marine, brackishwater and freshwater fish were tested for their susceptibility to fish nodavirus. In addition, the efficiency of betanodavirus replication was tested in these cell lines. Multiple vacuolation, a typical cytopathic effect for virus infection, was observed in infected SISK, SISS, SIGE and ICF cells. Infection of the different fish cell lines was confirmed by RT-PCR, immunodot blot assay and indirect ELISA. The virus concentration in culture supernatant collected from infected sea bass and grouper cell lines increased progressively from 103 at day 1 postinfection to 108 TCID50 ml−1 at day 9. The amount of virus in different cell lines was also quantified by real-time PCR. These results indicate the suitability of the SISK, SISS, and SIGE cell lines for fish nodavirus propagation for developing viral diagnostics and vaccines.

In vitro white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) replication in explants of the heart of freshwater crab, Paratelphusa hydrodomous

Explants from different organs of freshwater crab, Paratelphusa hydrodomous were prepared to establish an in vitro system for replication of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) of shrimp. Heart explants were maintained for 53 days without any morphological changes in EX-CELL™ 405 medium with and without serum whereas the explants of eye muscle, gill, shell membrane and appendage muscle died within 15 days of culture period. The heart explants on different days of culture were exposed to WSSV for 10 days to study the viral replication. The infection of WSSV in explants of the heart was confirmed by PCR, RT-PCR, Western blot, histology, immunohistochemistry, bioassay and transmission electron microscopy. The WSSV was quantified by real-time PCR and indirect ELISA. The WSSV inoculum prepared from the heart explants of crab caused significant mortality in Penaeus monodon in challenge experiments and the results indicate that the WSSV which replicated in the heart explants of freshwater crab maintains its infectivity as in marine shrimp. The results indicate that the heart explants of P. hydrodomous would be a good alternative to whole animals for production of WSSV.

Antivenom activity of triterpenoid (C34H68O2) from Leucas aspera Linn. against Naja naja naja venom induced toxicity: antioxidant and histological study in mice.

The isolated and identified triterpenoid, 1-hydroxytetratriacontane-4-one (C34H68O2), obtained from the methanolic leaf extract of Leucas aspera Linn. was explored for the first time for antisnake venom activity. The plant (L. aspera Linn.) extract significantly antagonized the spectacled cobra (Naja naja naja) venom induced lethal activity in a mouse model. It was compared with commercial antiserum obtained from King Institute of Preventive Medicine (Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India). N. naja naja venom induced a significant decrease in antioxidant superoxide dismutase, glutathione (GSH) peroxidase, catalase, reduced GSH and glutathione-S-transferase activities and increased lipid peroxidase (LPO) activity in different organs such as heart, liver, kidney and lungs. The histological changes following the antivenom treatment were also evaluated in all these organs. There were significant alterations in the histology. Triterpenoid from methanol extract of L. aspera Linn. at a dose level of 75 mg per mouse significantly attenuated (neutralized) the venom-induced antioxidant status and also the LPO activity in different organs.

Production of recombinant capsid protein of Macrobrachium rosenbergii nodavirus (r‐MCP43) of giant freshwater prawn, M. rosenbergii (de Man) for immunological diagnostic methods

White tail disease (WTD) caused by Macrobrachium rosenbergii nodavirus (MrNV) and extra small virus (XSV) is a serious problem in prawn hatcheries. The gene for capsid protein of MrNV (MCP43) was cloned into pRSET B expression vector. The MCP43 protein was expressed as a protein with a 6-histidine tag in Escherichia coli GJ1158 with NaCl induction. This recombinant protein, which was used to raise the antiserum in rabbits, recognized capsid protein in different WTD-infected post-larvae and adult prawn. Various immunological methods such as Western blot, dot blot and ELISA techniques were employed to detect MrNV in infected samples using the antiserum raised against recombinant MCP43 of MrNV. The dot blot assay using anti-rMCP43 was found to be capable of detecting MrNV in WTD-infected post-larvae as early as at 24 h post-infection. The antiserum raised against r-MCP43 could detect the MrNV in the infected samples at the level of 100 pg of total protein. The capsid protein of MrNV estimated by ELISA using anti-rMCP43 and pure r-MCP43 as a standard was found to increase gradually during the course of infection from 24 h p.i. to moribund stage. The results of immunological diagnostic methods employed in this study were compared with that of RT-PCR to test the efficiency of antiserum raised against r-MCP43 for the detection of MrNV. The Western blot, dot blot and ELISA detected all MrNV-positive coded samples as detected by RT-PCR.

Development and Use of Retinal Pigmented Epithelial Cell Line from Zebrafish (Danio rerio) for Evaluating the Toxicity of Ultraviolet-B

Danio rerio retinal pigmented epithelial (DrRPE) cell line, derived from the RPE tissue, was established and characterized. The cells were able to grow at a wide range of temperatures from 25°C to 32°C in Leibovitzs L-15 medium. The DrRPE cell line consists of epithelial cells with a diameter of 15-19 μm. The cell line was characterized by mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene, immunocytochemical analysis, and karyotyping. DrRPE cells treated with 10 μM of all-trans-retinol for 24 h readily formed lipid droplets. DrRPE cells were irradiated with narrowband ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation at different time periods of 0, 10, 20, and 40 min. The cells were subsequently examined for changes in morphology, cell viability, phagocytotic activity, mitochondrial distribution, nuclei morphology, generation of reactive oxygen species, and expression of apoptotic-related genes p53 and Cas3 by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The results demonstrate that UV-B radiation can cause a considerable decrease in DrRPE cell viability as well as in phagocytotic activity. In addition, the results demonstrate that UV-B radiation can induce the degradation of mitochondria and DNA in cultured DrRPE cells.

In vitro propagation of hepatopancreatic parvo-like virus (HPV) of shrimp in C6/36 (Aedes albopictus) cell line.

Hepatopancreatic parvovirus (HPV) which causes infection in many species of penaeid shrimp is a serious viral pathogen in the young life stages of shrimp. An attempt was made to develop an in vitro system using C6/36 subclone of Aedes albopictus cell line for propagation of HPV. The results revealed that C6/36 cells were susceptible to this virus and the infected cells showed CPE in the form of vacuole formation. The results of PCR, immunocytochemistry and Western blot revealed the HPV-infection in C6/36 cell line. The RT-PCR analysis confirmed the replication of HPV in C6/36 cell line. The HPV load was quantified at different time intervals by ELISA and real time PCR, and the results showed the increase of viral load in C6/36 cell line in time course of infection. HPV propagated in C6/36 cell line was used to infect post-larvae of shrimp and the results showed that the twentieth passage of HPV propagated in C6/36 cell line caused 100% mortality in post-larvae after 6 weeks post infection (d.p.i.). The infected post-larvae showed clinical signs of reduced growth, reduced preening, muscle opacity and atrophy of hepatopancreas. The HPV-infection was confirmed by PCR. The results of the present study showed that C6/36 cell line can be used as an in vitro model for HPV replication instead of whole animal.

Studies on the occurrence of infectious myonecrosis virus in pond-reared Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931) in India

Whiteleg shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, with clinical sign of muscle opaqueness with reddish colour at the distal abdominal segments were observed in farms located in West Bengal State, India. The mortality of shrimp in all disease outbreak ponds ranged from 20% to 50%, and mortality increased gradually. The RT-PCR assay of these samples using primer sets specific to infectious myonecrosis virus (IMNV) revealed its presence in the disease outbreak ponds. The IMNV infection was reproduced in healthy shrimp by intramuscular injection to satisfy Rivers postulates. The virus caused mortality in intramuscularly challenged shrimp, but failed to cause mortality by oral route. Tissue distribution of IMNV in infected shrimp by RT-PCR assay revealed the presence of this virus in haemolymph, gill, hepatopancreas and muscle. This study confirms that the disease outbreak which occurred in the shrimp farms located at Purba Medinipur District, West Bengal, India, was due to IMNV.

Tissue distribution of hepatopancreatic parvo‐like virus of shrimp in freshwater rice‐field crab, Paratelphusa hydrodomous (Herbst)

An attempt was made to determine the replication efficiency of hepatopancreatic parvo-like virus (HPV) of shrimp in different organs of freshwater rice-field crab Paratelphusa hydrodomous (Herbst) using bioassay, PCR, RT-PCR, ELISA, Western blot and q-PCR analyses. Another attempt was made to use this crab as an alternative to penaeid shrimp for the large-scale production of HPV. This crab was found to be highly susceptible to HPV by intramuscular injection. The systemic HPV infection was confirmed by PCR and Western blot analyses in freshwater crab. The expression of capsid protein gene in different organs of infected crab was revealed by RT-PCR analysis. Indirect ELISA was used to quantify the capsid protein in different organs of the crab. The copy number of HPV in different organs of the infected crab was quantified by q-PCR. The results revealed a steady decrease in CT values in different organs of the infected crab during the course of infection. The viral inoculum that was prepared from different organs of the infected crab caused significant mortality in post-larvae of tiger prawn, Penaeus monodon (Fabricius). The results revealed that this rice-field crab could be used as an alternative host for HPV replication and also for large-scale production of HPV.