Analysis of the Antigen Variation of A H9N2 Avian Influenza Virus Strain
At present,the H9N2 subtype avian influenza virus is the most important low pathogenic variant in China,causing serious economic losses to the poultry industry.The inactivated H9N2 avian influenza virus vaccine is the most effective way to prevent and control the disease.However,the H9N2 virus is prone to antigenic variation under immune pressure,resulting in the failure of vaccine immunity.The mechanism is still unclear.In the previous study,we screened escape strains carrying a single point mutation of HAD201N by simulating the immune stress of H9N2 avian influenza but the reason why HAD201N led to the emergence of H9N2 virus escape strains was still unclear.In the present study,we rescued a strain of A/Chicken/Shanghai/1/2006(H9N2)(rSH1)and its immune escape strain rSH1-HAD201N by using the 8-plasmid reverse genetic technology.In order to identify whether HAD201N caused immune escape of the virus by affecting the replication ability of H9N2 avian influenza virus,MDCK cells were inoculated with the rSH1 virus at 0.001 MOI and its growth curve was measured.The results showed that the point mutation of HAD201N significantly reduced the replication ability of rSH1 virus but the change of virus replication ability was not the main reason for the escape of rSH1 virus.In order to investigate whether HAD201N produced virus escape strains by affecting the antigenic variation of H9N2 virus,the original virus and mutant virus were emulsified with adjuvant to immunize chickens for preparation of antiserum.Cross-HI test was used to calculate the R value and analyze the antigenic variation.The R value of rSH1-HAD201N was 2,indicating that HAD201N caused significant antigenic variation in rSH1,allowing the virus to escape immune stress.This study laid a foundation for further exploring the antigenic variation of H9N2 avian influenza virus and vaccine development.