Molecular interactions in oncogenesis by avian oncogenic viruses
Lead Research Organisation:
The Pirbright Institute
Department Name: UNLISTED
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Technical Summary
Avian oncogenic viruses such as Marek’s disease virus (MDV), avian leukosis virus (ALV) and reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) account for significant economic losses to the poultry industry worldwide . These viruses are excellent models for understanding the molecular oncogenic mechanisms of these viruses in disease models in their natural hosts. The project will examine the functions of viral genes and their interactions with host proteins in inducing pathogenesis. The use of reverse genetics systems including the full-length genomic clones of retroviruses and bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones of Marek’s disease viruses will enable the examination of the functional role of viral genes in pathogenesis. In addition, the infectious clones of these viruses will also be used to develop novel recombinant vaccines, the protective efficacy of which will be evaluated in virulent virus infection models. Finally, the evolution of viruses towards increased virulence and the role of vaccines in driving the virulence will also be investigated using a combination of molecular biological studies and natural disease models.
Planned Impact
unavailable
People |
ORCID iD |
| Venugopal Nair (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Baigent S
(2016)
Real-time PCR for differential quantification of CVI988 vaccine virus and virulent strains of Marek's disease virus
in Journal of Virological Methods
Baigent SJ
(2013)
Relationship between levels of very virulent MDV in poultry dust and in feather tips from vaccinated chickens.
in Avian diseases
Baigent SJ
(2016)
Replication defective adenovirus serotype 5 expressing Marek's disease virus envelope glycoprotein as a potential Marek's disease vaccine in chicken
in Journal of Veterinary Medicine and Research
Baijent SJ
(2016)
Replication defective adenovirus serotype 5 expressing Marek's disease virus envelope glycoprotein as a potential Marek's disease vaccine in chicken
in Journal of Veterinary Medicine and Research
Biggs P
(2012)
The long view: 40 years of Marek's disease research and Avian Pathology
in Avian Pathology
Brown AC
(2012)
Epigenetic regulation of the latency-associated region of Marek's disease virus in tumor-derived T-cell lines and primary lymphoma.
in Journal of virology
Gao Y
(2016)
Avian leukosis virus subgroup J induces VEGF expression via NF-?B/PI3K-dependent IL-6 production
in Oncotarget
Mwangi WN
(2012)
Induction of lymphomas by inoculation of Marek's disease virus-derived lymphoblastoid cell lines: prevention by CVI988 vaccination.
in Avian pathology : journal of the W.V.P.A
Nair V
(2013)
Latency and tumorigenesis in Marek's disease.
in Avian diseases
| Description | Viral microRNAs play important roles in diseases. Most viral microRNAs previously identified are in DNA viruses. We have shown that ALV-J encodes a novel microRNA expressed at high levels in myeloid tumour cell lines. This discovery of the pol-II encoded novel retrovirus microRNA resolves long-standing questions on the functions of the E (XSR) element in ALV and RSV. |
| Exploitation Route | role of other virus-encoded miRNAs can now be looked at, using similar approaches. |
| Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink |
| Description | Research into the Meq protein in pathogenesis has been followed in examining opportunities for development of novel vaccines based on gene editing approaches. Currently in discussions with industrial collaborators of advancing this technology for translating into commercial products such as vaccines. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2020 |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Financial Services, and Management Consultancy,Healthcare,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
| Impact Types | Societal Economic |
| Description | Dissecting the molecular pathways of MDV oncoprotein Meq for understanding pathogenesis and aid vaccine development |
| Amount | £440,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/R007896/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2018 |
| End | 03/2021 |
| Description | Innovations in control of avian infectious diseases for sustainable growth and food security in low and middle income countries |
| Amount | £355,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | The Royal Society |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 12/2016 |
| End | 11/2021 |
| Description | Recombinant MDV vaccine expressing gRNA targeting REV using CRISPR/Cas9 system to prevent MDV and REV infection |
| Amount | ¥120,000 (CNY) |
| Funding ID | SKLVBF201605 |
| Organisation | State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | China |
| Start | 01/2016 |
| End | 12/2017 |
| Description | Role of PML bodies in avian herpesvirus infections: Generating a tool box of reagents to understand innate restriction of virus infection in chicken |
| Amount | £7,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | The Houghton Trust |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2016 |
| End | 09/2017 |
| Description | UK-China partnership on Global Food Security: Combating avian tumor diseases for sustainable poultry proudction |
| Amount | £382,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/R007632/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2018 |
| End | 03/2020 |
| Description | Avian Vaccines Malaysian Researchers |
| Organisation | Putra Malaysia University |
| Department | Department of Pathology |
| Country | Malaysia |
| Sector | Hospitals |
| PI Contribution | We have successfully organized a British Council funded workshop on Emerging and Next Generation Vaccine Technologies Against Veterinary Viruses at Institute of Bioscience (IBS), Universiti Putra Malaysia from 01 to 04 August 2016. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Through this partnership, we have applied two research grants to work together in tackling infections in poultry. |
| Impact | Two Funding Applied One Publication Online |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Collaboration with Harbin Veterinary Research Institute China |
| Organisation | Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences |
| Department | Harbin Veterinary Research Institute (HVRI) |
| Country | China |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | We had intellectual input in formulating the research programme |
| Collaborator Contribution | The partners visited Pirbright and set up collaborative research plans and signed a memorandum of understanding |
| Impact | Output or outcomes are yet to materialize. But we had one joint publication |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | AN INTERVIEW WITH PROFESSOR VENUGOPAL NAIR |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Professor Venugopal Nair is a Research Group Leader at The Pirbright Institute, a visiting Professor of Avian Virology at the Department of Zoology, and a Jenner Investigator at the Jenner Institute, University of Oxford. He is also a member of the Microbiology Society, and in this interview, he tells us more about his research into viral diseases of livestock. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://microbiologysociety.org/membership/meet-our-members/focus-area-viruses/an-interview-with-pro... |
| Description | Avian Genetics and Immunity (University of Surrey) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The Symposium on Avian Genetics and Immunity is being to engage international audience with interests on avian genetics and immunity |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | http://geneticsandimmunity.com |
| Description | Chaired the Poultry Disease group meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Poultry Disease group is a forum of veterinary practitioners to discuss the advances in poultry diseases that could be translated from research labs to the farms |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Interview for CGTN on the importance of poultry disease control in China and the significance of collaboration |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | It was an interview by the editor for CGTN on the contribution of Pirbright and the Chinese collaborations on controlling poultry diseases and improving avian health |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://newseu.cgtn.com/news/2020-01-28/British-and-Chinese-scientists-join-forces-to-fight-avian-di... |
| Description | Poultry Health course |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Poultry Health Course is run as a residential and online course to transfer recent advances in avian disease research from the laboratory to the field. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | Pre-2006 |
| URL | http://www.poultryhealthcourse.com/ |
| Description | Sue Baigent participated in the Teen Tech event on 22nd Jan 2019 on General Science engagement |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | A General Science event |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | UK-Malaysia Vaccinology Workshop (Malaysia) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This workshop aimed to build long-term and sustainable links between scientists in the UK and Malaysia working on/have interests in veterinary vaccines. This workshop has encouraged early career researchers from veterinary, biological and social sciences to understand the ever-increasing threats to global food security from infectious animal diseases and their control using next generation vaccine strategies. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://ukmalaysiaworkshop.co.uk/ |