Veterinary Research最新文献

{"title":"Meteorological and environmental factors associated with the exposure to tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) in cattle, north-eastern France, 2018-2019.","authors":"Laure Mathews-Martin, Raphaëlle Metras, Jean-Marc Boucher, Christophe Caillot, Sandrine A Lacour, Marine Dumares, Cécile Beck, Gaëlle Gonzalez, Laure Bournez","doi":"10.1186/s13567-025-01588-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13567-025-01588-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is a severe neurological disease that can be transmitted to humans through the bites of infected ticks or the consumption of unpasteurised dairy products from infected but asymptomatic ruminants. The recent detection of food-borne cases in France is a rising concern, since the production and consumption of raw milk cheese is common. There is limited data available on seroprevalence and factors associated with the exposure to TBEV of domestic ungulates in Europe, and to date, such data are not available in France. A total of 4,483 cattle sera were collected between 2018 and 2019. We used principal component analysis and spatial random forest modelling to explore meteorological and landscape predictors and their relationships with seroprevalence levels. TBEV antibodies were detected in cattle across the region, with an overall apparent seroprevalence of 7.5% (95% CI 6.7-8.3%). The highest seroprevalence was observed in the southern Vosges Mountains, reaching 72.5%. Cattle exposure was higher in areas where the annual land surface temperature was below 12 °C, mixed forest coverage exceeded 25%, and pastures located within 50 m of wooded areas covered more than 3%. This study represents the first large-scale serological survey of TBEV in cattle in France, revealing that TBEV is widespread in north-eastern France and extends beyond the distribution of TBE human cases. The main factors identified as influencing cattle exposure can be used to predict the risk of TBEV food-borne transmission. Further research is needed to fully understand this risk in France, including investigations into breeding and cheese practices.</p>","PeriodicalId":23658,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Research","volume":"56 1","pages":"157"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12288213/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144699673","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Heterologous signal peptide grafting enhances the immune efficacy of Salmonella vectors delivering hemagglutinin against H7N9 avian influenza virus.","authors":"Wangyangji Sun, Rui Zhu, Yu-An Li, Zewei Li, Yuanzhao Du, Shifeng Wang, Huoying Shi","doi":"10.1186/s13567-025-01590-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13567-025-01590-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) vectors, which induce broad cellular and humoral immune responses, are excellent candidates for delivering foreign antigens. However, S. Typhimurium strains display limitations, including low levels of antigen protein expression when delivering viral antigens. In this study, we found that replacing the hemagglutinin (HA) precursor sequence of H9N2 AIV (avian influenza virus) with that from H7N9 AIV significantly improved HA protein expression. Building on this, we combined the H9N2 HA leader sequence with a tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) signal peptide and delayed lysis Salmonella mRNA interferase regulation vector (SIRV) system previously developed by our team. This novel approach markedly enhanced the expression of viral antigens delivered by Salmonella vectors. Our results demonstrate that both the H9N2 HA leader sequence and the tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) signal peptide significantly increased H7N9 AIV HA protein expression and substantially improved the protective efficacy of the attenuated S. Typhimurium vector delivering the H7N9 HA protein vaccine against H7N9 AIV challenge. These findings offer valuable insights for developing more effective attenuated Salmonella-based recombinant H7N9 AIV vaccines and provide a valuable reference for vaccine strategies against other infectious diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":23658,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Research","volume":"56 1","pages":"154"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12282016/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144683246","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Increased ROS levels activate AMPK-ULK1-mediated mitophagy to promote pseudorabies virus replication.","authors":"Yuan Zhao, Xiaoyi Qi, Zhenbang Zhu, Wenqiang Wang, Wei Wen, Xiangdong Li","doi":"10.1186/s13567-025-01595-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13567-025-01595-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Increasing evidence has confirmed that oxidative stress plays a nonnegligible role in the viral pathogenic process. In this study, we investigated the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the replication of pseudorabies virus (PRV). Our data showed that PRV infection initially enhanced the contact between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria, leading to an upsurge of mitochondrial Ca²⁺ (mtCa²⁺) concentration, which resulted in the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and excessive ROS production. Instead of translocating it to the nucleus, PRV infection concurrently sequestered Nrf2 in cytoplasm impeding the efficient scavenging of intracellular ROS. The excessive ROS production and failure in ROS clearance contributed to the persistently high ROS levels during PRV infection. Furthermore, elevated ROS levels elicited activation of the AMPK-ULK1 axis, initiating PINK1-Parkin-dependent mitophagy that selectively degraded damaged mitochondria along with mitochondrial-localized mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS). This process suppressed MAVS-mediated type I interferon responses by eliminating both dysfunctional mitochondria and their associated antiviral signaling platforms, thereby creating a cellular environment permissive to viral replication. Overall, our findings elucidated the mechanism by which ROS enables the virus to resist the host interferon immune response and provided a theoretical basis for ROS-based antiviral strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":23658,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Research","volume":"56 1","pages":"156"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12281776/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144683247","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Time- and dose-dependent activation of the NLRP3 and MyD88/NF-κB pathways by Trueperella pyogenes membrane vesicles in bovine endometrial epithelial cells.","authors":"Dengfu Li, Haixia Li, Zhu Wang, Yuchen Huang, Chenchong Zhao, Hongxia Zhang, Yanan Zhao, Naihui Zhu, Xirong Tang, Yaping Jin, Dong Zhou","doi":"10.1186/s13567-025-01587-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13567-025-01587-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Trueperella pyogenes is an opportunistic pathogen frequently associated with bovine endometritis, yet the mechanisms by which it induces uterine inflammation remain incompletely understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of T. pyogenes and its membrane vesicles (MVs) on bovine endometrial epithelial cells (BEECs) and explored the underlying inflammatory pathways involved. Bovine endometrial epithelial cells (BEECs) were treated with T. pyogenes (MOI = 100) or MVs at various concentrations (1 × 10⁸, 1 × 10⁷, or 1 × 10⁶ particles/mL) for 6-24 h. Inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18, or TNF-α) and the activation of the NLRP3 and MyD88/NF-κB signalling pathways were analysed by ELISA, qRT‒PCR, and western blotting. Cell death mechanisms were assessed by flow cytometry and scanning electron microscopy. T. pyogenes significantly upregulated inflammatory cytokine mRNA expression at 6 and 12 h and protein expression at 12 and 24 h. Compared with bacterial stimulation at 12 h, MVs induced earlier activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome at 6 h. High-concentration MVs induced necrosis-like membrane disruption, whereas moderate concentrations promoted apoptosis and pyroptosis. Both T. pyogenes and its MVs activated the MyD88/NF-κB signalling pathway, with significantly increased phosphorylation of P65 at 12 h. Cytokine secretion exhibited time- and dose-dependent trends, aligning with transcriptional changes. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that T. pyogenes MVs contribute to endometrial inflammation through the NLRP3 and MyD88/NF-κB signalling pathways, with distinct forms of cell death determined by MV concentration. These findings highlight MVs as key virulence factors and potential therapeutic targets for bovine endometritis.</p>","PeriodicalId":23658,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Research","volume":"56 1","pages":"155"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12281939/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144683248","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Galectin-3: a novel antimicrobial host factor identified in goat nasal mucus.","authors":"Yichao Ma, Xinming Qin, Jiachen Liu, Shiqi Liu, Ruoyang Lin, Baoyan Meng, Xiaojing Cui, Qian Yang","doi":"10.1186/s13567-025-01586-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13567-025-01586-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Respiratory infections caused by pathogenic bacteria pose a rapidly growing public health threat. The nasal mucus layer serves as the first line of defense against pathogen invasion; however, in nasal mucus, the antimicrobial components and their underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we collected nasal mucus from goat nasal mucosal explant models and identified significant antimicrobial activity in the total protein fraction. Subsequent fractionation indicated that proteins < 30 kDa exhibited the most potent bactericidal activity. Nano LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis identified galectin-3 as a key protein with potent activity against Gram-positive bacteria, particularly Streptococcus suis (S. suis). Galectin-3 targeted teichoic acids on the bacterial surface, disrupting membrane integrity. Additionally, it inhibited the synthesis of three critical bacterial proteins: enoyl-ACP reductase (FabK), carbamate kinase (CK), and small ribosomal subunit protein uS2 (rpsB), thereby destroying bacterial growth and metabolism. In the murine nasal infection model, galectin-3 accelerated the clearance of S. suis and alleviated pathological damage caused by the infection. Taken together, our findings provide the first evidence of the direct antimicrobial action of galectin-3 in nasal mucus and elucidate its mechanisms involving bacterial membrane disruption and inhibition of key metabolic proteins. These results highlight galectin-3 as a promising therapeutic target for S. suis infections.</p>","PeriodicalId":23658,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Research","volume":"56 1","pages":"153"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12281822/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144691735","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A single-dose mRNA vaccine encoding the classical swine fever virus E2-ECD induces durable protective immunity in rabbits.","authors":"Li-Jun Bian, Yu Tang, Fan Yang, Hong Tian, Qin Peng, Ming-Liang Tang, Yi-Zhen Chen, Tian Xia, Shu Li, Hai-Xue Zheng, Hong-Bing Shu, Mi Li","doi":"10.1186/s13567-025-01581-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13567-025-01581-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Classical swine fever virus (CSFV) spreads in domestic and wild pig populations, causing significant economic losses in the swine industry. Despite the global implementation of live attenuated vaccines, CSFV remains a persistent threat, with sporadic outbreaks reported annually. A major limitation of the current vaccines is safety concerns and the inability to differentiate infected from vaccinated animals (DIVA). The development of DIVA-compliant vaccines is desirable for effectively controlling or eradicating classical swine fever (CSF). Here, we developed two lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-encapsulated mRNA vaccines encoding either the extracellular domain of the CSFV envelope protein E2 (E2-ECD) or its N-terminal 172-amino acid fragment (E2-ECD-N). Immunological assays in mice revealed high antigenicity and long-lasting protective antibody responses from a single dose of either the E2-ECD or E2-ECD-N mRNA vaccine. Notably, both the E2-ECD and E2-ECD-N mRNA vaccines induced robust T cell responses in mice. Furthermore, a single dose (100 μg) of the E2-ECD mRNA vaccine was sufficient to induce long-term (up to 4 months) protective immunity against CSFV infection in rabbits. Our findings highlight the potential of CSFV-E2-based mRNA vaccines as promising strategies for effective CSF prevention and control while enabling DIVA.</p>","PeriodicalId":23658,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Research","volume":"56 1","pages":"152"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12281802/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144683245","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The narrow window of protection: protective efficacy of maternally derived antibodies against virulent classical swine fever virus in Japan.","authors":"Katsuhiko Fukai, Tatsuya Nishi, Mitsutaka Ikezawa, Rie Kawaguchi, Kazuki Morioka","doi":"10.1186/s13567-025-01583-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13567-025-01583-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study investigated the protective efficacy of maternally derived antibodies (MDAs) against the currently circulating virulent classical swine fever virus (CSFV) strain in Japan (JPN/1/2018). Thirty-eight piglets from guinea-pig exaltation of Newcastle disease virus-negative phenomenon (GPE^-)-vaccinated (Groups 1-2) or unvaccinated sows (Group 3) were divided into three groups: Group 1 (n = 16, MDA titres < 2 to 5.6 against JPN/1/2018), Group 2 (n = 16, MDA titres 45-362), and Group 3 (n = 6, no MDAs). All piglets were orally challenged with the JPN/1/2018 strain and monitored for clinical signs, viremia, viral shedding, and viral tissue distribution. Groups 1 and 3 showed similar clinical manifestations, viremia, viral shedding and viral distribution patterns, whereas Group 2 piglets generally remained clinically normal with limited viral detection in clinical samples and organs. On the basis of these results, an MDA titre of 45 against JPN/1/2018 was determined as the approximate protective threshold. The use of antigenic relatedness (r₁) values between the JPN/1/2018 and GPE^- strains (mean r₁ = 0.43) corresponds to an MDA titre of approximately 105 against the GPE^- strain. However, two Group 2 piglets whose MDA titres were above the threshold died during the experiment, suggesting that individual factors such as body size, social hierarchy, and health status may influence protection. The narrow window between the protective threshold (MDA titre against the GPE^- strain of 105) and the titre that interferes with the vaccine-induced antibody response (MDA titre against the GPE^- strain of ≥ 128) presents challenges for farm management, highlighting the importance of combining vaccination with strict biosecurity measures.</p>","PeriodicalId":23658,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Research","volume":"56 1","pages":"151"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12269211/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144650706","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Glaesserella parasuis infection triggers endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated pyroptosis via PERK/eIF2α/ATF4 axis and metabolic reprogramming in porcine alveolar macrophages.","authors":"Weili Feng, Yu Han, Wanyun Zhang, Lei Wu, Ao Zhou, Liangyu Shi, Jing Zhang","doi":"10.1186/s13567-025-01580-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13567-025-01580-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Glaesserella parasuis, the causative agent of Glässer's disease in swine, triggers severe systemic inflammation; however, the molecular mechanisms underpinning its pathogenesis remain incompletely understood. This study investigated the cellular and metabolic responses of porcine alveolar macrophage 3D4/21 cells to G. parasuis infection. Exposure to the pathogen significantly reduced cell viability and up-regulated pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β, and TNF-α). Mechanistically, G. parasuis-induced apoptosis via up-regulation of Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) and cleaved Caspase-3, coupled with down-regulation of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2). By contrast, pyroptosis was characterised by activation of the NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, Caspase-1 cleavage, and gasdermin D (GSDMD)-mediated membrane pore formation. Notably, infection provoked endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress through the PERK/eIF2α/ATF4/CHOP pathway, as evidenced by ER expansion, ribosomal detachment, and mitochondrial damage. Treatment with the ER stress inhibitor 4-phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA) mitigated these alterations. Inhibition of PERK with GSK2656157 suppressed pyroptosis-related proteins (NLRP3, GSDMD, and Caspase-1) without altering apoptosis markers, indicating the existence of distinct regulatory pathways. Untargeted metabolomic profiling revealed extensive metabolic reprogramming, identifying 419 differentially expressed metabolites associated with pathways such as glutathione metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and arachidonic acid metabolism, underscoring their involvement in G. parasuis infection and immune modulation. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that G. parasuis undermines host defences by activating PERK-mediated ER stress to drive pyroptosis, while simultaneously inducing apoptosis and metabolic dysregulation through independent mechanisms. This study provides novel insights into G. parasuis pathogenesis and highlights the PERK pathway and metabolic regulators as potential therapeutic targets for mitigating Glässer's disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":23658,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Research","volume":"56 1","pages":"150"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12265192/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144643643","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Atypical Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 12 strains with a higher virulence potential.","authors":"Antony T Vincent, Sonia Lacouture, Guillaume St-Jean, Rodrigo Tapia, Servane Payen, Michiha Kon, Joachim Frey, Ho To, Marcelo Gottschalk","doi":"10.1186/s13567-025-01579-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13567-025-01579-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae is the causative agent of porcine pleuropneumonia, a disease of major economic impact. Serotype 12 is generally considered to be of low virulence and is typically associated with subclinical infections. However, we describe four atypical serotype 12 field strains recovered from severe clinical outbreaks in Chile. These strains exhibited an unusual toxin gene profile (apxIICA, apxIIICA, apxIBD, apxIIIBD), suggesting the ability to produce both ApxII and ApxIII toxins. Comparative genomic analyses revealed that these atypical strains carry the capsule genes of serotype 12 but the LPS biosynthesis genes of serotype 15, indicating a hybrid genomic structure. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed that they cluster separately from classical serotype 12 strains and are closely related to other atypical strains from Japan, USA, and Canada. Experimental infection in pigs demonstrated significantly increased virulence of the atypical Chilean strain compared to the reference strain of serotype 12, with higher clinical scores, severe lung lesions, and atypical serological responses against serotypes 3/6/8/15/17. These findings challenge the traditional view of serotype 12 as low-virulence and highlight the need for improved diagnostic approaches that incorporate both capsule and LPS profiling. The existence of these atypical strains has important implications for disease surveillance, diagnostics, and vaccine development in swine health management.</p>","PeriodicalId":23658,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Research","volume":"56 1","pages":"149"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12255999/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144627214","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"African swine fever virus infection of porcine peripheral blood monocyte-derived macrophages induces the formation of tunneling nanotube-connected large vesicle-like cell segments: a potential mechanism for intercellular ASFV trafficking.","authors":"Brecht Droesbeke, Nadège Balmelle, Hans J Nauwynck, Herman Favoreel, Marylène Tignon","doi":"10.1186/s13567-025-01582-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13567-025-01582-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>African swine fever (ASF) is a highly fatal viral disease in pigs, with mortality rates that can reach 100%. The causative agent, African swine fever virus (ASFV), primarily targets cells of the mononuclear phagocytic system (MPS), particularly monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs). Despite the severity of the disease, there are currently no effective antiviral treatments available in Europe. A significant barrier to therapeutic development is the limited understanding of how ASFV interacts with its primary target cells. A deeper understanding of the morphological changes induced by ASFV in infected cells is crucial to this effort. To address this knowledge gap, we used conventional and confocal immunofluorescence microscopy, as well as transmission electron microscopy, to investigate ASFV-infected primary MDMs. Our analysis revealed that ASFV infection leads to the formation of large cellular protrusions, which are characterized by vesicle-shaped cellular segments (CSs) at their tips. These protrusions contain all major cytoskeletal components, showing characteristics similar to those of tunneling nanotubes (TNTs). In 84.93% of the cases, the nucleus remained in the cell body (CB) near the viral factory. In the remaining cases, the nucleus was found within these CSs, whereas the viral factory was present in the CB. Additionally, 57.6% of the cells were in contact with the CS and distant cells, suggesting a potential mechanism for ASFV transmission. These findings suggest that ASFV induces cellular segmentation linked by TNT-like structures. Further research is needed to better understand the biogenesis and functional significance of these segmented cells, which could inform future strategies for combating ASFV.</p>","PeriodicalId":23658,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Research","volume":"56 1","pages":"148"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12247315/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144609733","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}