Characterization of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus strains isolated from migratory waterfowl in Mongolia on the way back from the southern Asia to their northern territory

AbstractH5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses were isolated from dead wild waterfowl at Khunt, Erkhel, Doityn Tsagaan, Doroo, and Ganga Lakes in Mongolia in July 2005, May 2006, May 2009, July 2009, and May 2010, respectively. The isolates in 2005 and 2006 were classified into genetic clade 2.2, and those in 2009 and 2010 into clade 2.3.2. A/whooper swan/Mongolia/6/2009 (H5N1) experimentally infected ducks and replicated systemically with higher mortality than that of the isolates in 2005 and 2006. Intensive surveillance of avian influenza in migratory waterfowl flying from their nesting lakes in Siberia to Mongolia in every autumn indicate that HPAI viruses have not perpetuated at their nesting lakes until 2009. The present results demonstrate that wild waterfowl were sporadically infected with H5N1 HPAI viruses prevailing in domestic poultry in the southern Asia and died in Mongolia on the way back to their northern territory in spring

Characterization of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus A(H5N6), Japan, November 2016

Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) A(H5N6) were concurrently introduced into several distant regions of Japan in November 2016. These viruses were classified into the genetic clade 2.3.4.4c and were genetically closely related to H5N6 HPAIVs recently isolated in South Korea and China. In addition, these HPAIVs showed further antigenic drift

Experimental infection of highly and low pathogenic avian influenza viruses to chicken's, ducks, tree sparrows, jungle crows, and black rats for the evaluation of their roles in virus transmission

Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) have spread in both poultry and wild birds. Determining transmission routes of these viruses during an outbreak is essential for the control of avian influenza. It has been widely postulated that migratory ducks play crucial roles in the widespread dissemination of HPAIVs in poultry by carrying viruses along with their migrations; however close contacts between wild migratory ducks and poultry are less likely in modern industrial poultry farming settings. Therefore, we conducted experimental infections of HPAIVs and low pathogenic avian influenza viruses (LPAIVs) to chickens, domestic ducks, tree sparrows, jungle crows, and black rats to evaluate their roles in virus transmission. The results showed that chickens, ducks, sparrows, and crows were highly susceptible to HPAIV infection. Significant titers of virus were recovered from the sparrows and crows infected with HPAIVs, which suggests that they potentially play roles of transmission of HPAIVs to poultry. In contrast, the growth of LPAIVs was limited in each of the animals tested compared with that of HPAIVs. The present results indicate that these common synanthropes play some roles in influenza virus transmission from wild birds to poultry. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Loss of focal adhesion kinase activation in podocytes protects mice from proteinuria and foot process effacement

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a nonreceptor tyrosine kinase that plays a critical role in cell motility. Podocyte foot process effacement leads to proteinuria and kidney failure, but the mechanisms are not fully understood, limiting therapeutic options currently available. In this study, we examined the role and implications of FAK in podocytes. We found that in murine models of glomerular injury, podocytes demonstrated robust FAK activation and subsequent proteinuria and foot process effacement. However, mice lacking FAK selectively in podocytes were resistant to proteinuria and foot process effacement. Consistent with the hypothesis that loss of FAK reduces cell movement, analysis of podocytes isolated from the conditional FAK knockout mice, demonstrated reduced migration with the diminution of MMP-2 activity. Pharmacological inactivation of FAK also resulted in decreased cell migration in-vitro, as well as diminished proteinuria and foot process effacement in vivo. Together, our results provide evidence that FAK activation regulates podocyte foot process effacement, and inhibiting this signaling cascade may serve as a target for therapeutic interventions

Podocyte-associated talin1 is critical for glomerular filtration barrier maintenance

Podocytes are specialized actin-rich epithelial cells that line the kidney glomerular filtration barrier. The interface between the podocyte and the glomerular basement membrane requires integrins, and defects in either α(3) or β(1) integrin, or the α(3)β(1) ligand laminin result in nephrotic syndrome in murine models. The large cytoskeletal protein talin1 is not only pivotal for integrin activation, but also directly links integrins to the actin cytoskeleton. Here, we found that mice lacking talin1 specifically in podocytes display severe proteinuria, foot process effacement, and kidney failure. Loss of talin1 in podocytes caused only a modest reduction in β(1) integrin activation, podocyte cell adhesion, and cell spreading; however, the actin cytoskeleton of podocytes was profoundly altered by the loss of talin1. Evaluation of murine models of glomerular injury and patients with nephrotic syndrome revealed that calpain-induced talin1 cleavage in podocytes might promote pathogenesis of nephrotic syndrome. Furthermore, pharmacologic inhibition of calpain activity following glomerular injury substantially reduced talin1 cleavage, albuminuria, and foot process effacement. Collectively, these findings indicate that podocyte talin1 is critical for maintaining the integrity of the glomerular filtration barrier and provide insight into the pathogenesis of nephrotic syndrome

Inhibition of Podocyte FAK Protects against Proteinuria and Foot Process Effacement

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a nonreceptor tyrosine kinase that plays a critical role in cell motility. Movement and retraction of podocyte foot processes, which accompany podocyte injury, suggest focal adhesion disassembly. To understand better the mechanisms by which podocyte foot process effacement leads to proteinuria and kidney failure, we studied the function of FAK in podocytes. In murine models, glomerular injury led to activation of podocyte FAK, followed by proteinuria and foot process effacement. Both podocyte-specific deletion of FAK and pharmacologic inactivation of FAK abrogated the proteinuria and foot process effacement induced by glomerular injury. In vitro, podocytes isolated from conditional FAK knockout mice demonstrated reduced spreading and migration; pharmacologic inactivation of FAK had similar effects on wild-type podocytes. In conclusion, FAK activation regulates podocyte foot process effacement, suggesting that pharmacologic inhibition of this signaling cascade may have therapeutic potential in the setting of glomerular injury