ABSTRACT. Rift Valley fever (RVF) is an acute, febrile zoonotic disease that is caused by the RVF virus (RVFV) and spread by arthropod vectors. RVF is currently prevalent in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, and causes substantial economic losses. Furthermore, this disease poses a serious threat to animal and human health in regions worldwide, making it a serious public health concern. However, RVFV vaccines for human use are still unavailable, and hence there is an urgent need for novel efficient vaccines against RVFV. Vaccine preparation techniques have become a crucial factor in developing new vaccines. In the current study, the N and G protein genes of RVFV were inserted into the pFastBacDual baculovirus expression vector downstream of the pP10 and pPH promoters. The resultant recombinant vector, pFastBacDual-S-M, was transfected into Sf9 insect cells by lipofection. The recombinant baculovirus, named rBac-N-G, was retrieved and infected into Sf9 insect cells to generate RVFV viruslike particles (VLPs). Using polyclonal antibodies against RVFV proteins in immunofluorescence and western blot analyses, we positively identified the presence of the RVFV proteins in VLP preparations. Sucrose density gradient centrifugation and transmission electron microscopy revealed that the morphology of the RVFV VLPs was consistent with previous reports of RVFV virions. This study describes a technique for efficient production of RVFV VLPs, and has laid the foundation for future VLP-based RVFV vaccines.

ABSTRACT. We explored the influence of ulinastatin on apoptosis of T lymphocytes in rats with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) and the effect of ulinastatin on mitochondrial apoptosis pathways in spleen lymphocytes. Thirty-six Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups (N = 12): a sham operated group, a SAP group, and an ulinastatin-treated SAP group. The SAP model was established by injecting 5% sodium taurocholate into the intrapancreatobiliary duct. Study rats were sacrificed after 24 h, and splenic lymphocytes were then collected. CD 4 + and CD 8 + T lymphocytes were labeled by direct immune fluorescence assays; the percentage of apoptotic cells, mitochondrial membrane potential levels, and mitochondria permeability transition pore opening levels were measured by flow cytometry. In the ulinastatin-treated SAP group, the ratio of CD 4 + /CD 8 + T lymphocytes was significantly higher than that in the SAP group, and the apoptosis percentage of CD 4 + T lymphocytes was significantly decreased. The percentage of lymphocytes with an abnormal opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore and lymphocytes C.L. Wang et al. 5512©FUNPEC-RP www.funpecrp.com.br Genetics and Molecular Research 14 (2): 5511-5518 (2015) with decreased mitochondrial membrane potential in the ulinastatintreated SAP group were significantly lower than that in the SAP group. Ulinastatin can directly enhance immunological function and attenuate immune suppression in SAP rats through inhibiting the apoptosis of CD 4 + T lymphocytes. These study findings demonstrate that therapeutic effects may occur through inhibiting the apoptosis induced by mitochondrial signaling pathways.