Cleavage of the NS2-3 protein in the cells of cattle persistently infected with non-cytopathogenic bovine viral diarrhea virus

Abstract

The NS2-3 of BVDV is cleaved in cultured cells infected with cp BVDV but not in those infected with ncp BVDV when tested more than 10 hours post infection. However, it is not known whether cleavage of NS2-3 occurs in vivo. In the present study, cleavage of NS2-3 in cattle persistently infected with BVDV was investigated. All BVDV isolated from PI animals were of the ncp biotype, and NS2-3 proteins were detected in bovine fetal muscular cells infected with these viruses. On the other hand, in the leukocytes of those PI animals, NS3 proteins, products of the cleavage of NS2-3 proteins, were detected. In addition, the NS3 proteins were also detected in leukocytes artificially infected with ncp BVDV. These results reveal that the NS2-3 protein of BVDV is cleaved in leukocytes. Furthermore, NS3 proteins were detected in many tissues of PI cattle, such as lymphoid tissue, brain, thyroid, lung, and kidney. These results suggest that the NS2-3 protein of ncp BVDV cleaves in vivo.