In consideration of these findings, SipC seems to be a promising

In consideration of these findings, SipC seems to be a promising candidate as a protective antigen. Because the N-terminal region of SipC may cause the insolubility of recombinant proteins and does not include the T cell epitope, the amino acid residues from 201 to 409, check details corresponding

to the C-terminus of SipC (cSipC), were used in this study. Two types of cSipC fusion proteins, conjugated to either the N-terminus or C-terminus of FliC, were constructed in order to determine any differences in their immunogenicity. The present study attempted to evaluate the immunological properties of recombinant L. casei producing fusion antigens composed of FliC and cSipC in vitro and in vivo. An innate immune response through TLR5 was determined using human intestinal Caco-2 epithelial cells. Caco-2 cells express TLR5 and are responsive to flagellin [17] but are not responsive to TLR2 or TLR4 agonists due to the absence of TLR4

expression and the low expression level of TLR2, TLR1, and TLR6 [18], [19] and [20]. TLR5-stimulating activity was detected by the release of interleukin 8 (IL-8) from a Caco-2 cell culture [21]. Induction of acquired immunity was determined by parenteral immunization of mice followed by detection of antigen-specific selleck chemicals llc antibodies and cytokines. A list of recombinant strains used in the present study is shown in Table 1. A plasmid-free strain of L. casei IGM393 and recombinant strains including a FliC-expressing strain (LCF) and a non-expressing control strain carrying pLPEmpty (LCN),

which were constructed in Linifanib (ABT-869) the previous study, were grown in de Mann Rogosa and Sharpe (MRS) broth (Difco). Erythromycin (5 μg/ml) was added to MRS only for recombinant strains. As described previously, Lactobacillus-carrying medium (LCM) supplemented with 1% mannitol and 5 μg/ml erythromycin was used for induction of the expression of heterologous antigens [5]. A human clinical isolate of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (SE) #40 [22] was cultured in Luria–Bertani (LB) broth (Difco). For the cloning of plasmids, Escherichia coli JM109, grown in LB medium containing 100 μg/ml ampicillin, was used in this study. Preparation of the SE antigen, the truncated C-terminus of SipC (cSipC), was performed using a histidine-tagged system in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions (Qiagen). Briefly, the partial sipC gene encoding cSipC (amino acid residues 201–409) was amplified from SE chromosomal DNA by PCR with a set of primers, IGM389 (ccc cgg atc cga atg aaa gag gcg cgc tta aa) and IGM390 (ggg gct cga gag cgc gaa tat tgc ctg cga). The amplified DNA fragment was digested with BamHI and XhoI and inserted into the BamHI–SalI sites of pQE31. E. coli M15 was then transformed with the ligated plasmid. The expression and purification of His-tagged protein (His-cSipC) were carried out under denaturing conditions. The protein was renatured by dialysis against PBS.

Conversely, an increased sICAM release was observed for H441 in M

Conversely, an increased sICAM release was observed for H441 in MC, whereas no sICAM response was detectable for H441 in CC. This might

be due to a higher differentiation and polarisation of the H441 considering a well-developed apical membrane with microvilli concluding an altered shedding of adhesion molecules. Furthermore, an increased uptake (compared GDC-0199 clinical trial to a concentration of 60 μg/ml, as used for the transport experiments) was observed for the direct exposed H441 but not in the ISO-HAS-1 on the bottom side in which no fluorescence signals of NPs could be detected. These findings corroborate the above mentioned conclusion. These results also corroborate the observation by Kasper et al. [9], which described cross-talk between direct aSNP-exposed H441 with ISO-HAS-1 resulting in an inflammatory response of the endothelial see more layer, which did not have a direct contact to NPs. A reason for the endothelial sICAM release may also be due to the elevated LDH release of the H441 and reduced TER. These finding could be attributed to the presence of necrotic cells at these very high concentrations. LDH, ATP and other

cytosolic components, which are released by necrotic cells, are known to cause inflammation. The induction of inflammatory processes induced by cell damage play also a significant role in the development of acute lung injury (ALI) or obstructive lung diseases (COPD). High concentrations such as 300 μg/ml used in this study probably exceed concentrations of NPs which may occur during inhalation processes in vivo, but they serve very well as a positive control for the in vitro setting. In consequence, subsequent approaches would have to take into

account effects caused by long-term or repeated exposure to nanoparticle in lower doses as it may occur in the development of obstructive lung diseases. According to this study, flotillins appear to play a role in cellular uptake or trafficking mechanisms of NPs and are discussed as indicators for clathrin- or caveolae-independent uptake mechanisms. Furthermore, the coculture model H441/ISO-HAS-1 represents a suitable model to study nanoparticle interactions with the alveolar epithelial barrier in vitro. It Olopatadine allows an investigation into cellular uptake/transport of nanoparticles as well as cell–cell communication processes after nanoparticle exposure at the alveolar-capillary site. In addition to an induction and release of inflammatory signals after NP exposure, which causes local effects on cells of the alveolar barrier, this study proposes forwarded inflammatory signals which may provoke further systemic effects. We are currently investigating a primary cell coculture model of the alveolar-capillary barrier consisting of primary human ATII (alveolar type II cells) and HPMEC (human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells) to compare these cells to the model described in these studies.

Following injury/infection, epithelial cells release cytokines IL

Following injury/infection, epithelial cells release cytokines IL-25 and IL-33 which activate ILC2 cells to express IL-5, IL-9, IL-13, and potentially small amounts of IL-4 [69]. Following intranasal infection of mice with a recombinant influenza A virus, activated ILC2 accumulate in the lung and express not only IL-5, IL-9, Dasatinib in vivo IL-13 but also amphiregulin (Areg), the ligand for EGFR which drives epithelial cell proliferation and tissue repair [70]. In the context of an attenuated vaccine similar ILC2 activation and IL-13 expression will have a negative impact

upon the resulting quality and magnitude of the Th1 anti-viral response. Potential additional sources of IL-4 during innate responses may include stimulation of basophils [71] and activated iNKT2 cells [72]. Poxviruses devote a

large proportion of the genomic information to express factors that modulate and evade the host’s antiviral innate and adaptive immune responses [73]. Of particular relevance to this study are factors secreted from pox virus infected cells which modulate the balance of Th1 and Th2 immunity. VV is known to express Selleckchem PI3K Inhibitor Library soluble type-I and type-II IFN binding proteins which sequester IFN-α and IFN-γ, respectively [74] and [75] VV also expresses soluble high affinity decoy receptors for TNF-α, and IL-18 which bind and prevent these cytokines from interacting with the natural receptors [76] and [77]. Poxviruses apply significant resources into reducing the activity of these antiviral cytokines which are required for activation of type-1 ILC i.e. type-I IFNs and IL-18, or neutralise the major secreted antiviral products, i.e. IFN-γ, TNF-α. IL-18 is critical for strong antiviral Th1 immunity, indeed with IL-18−/− mice the immune response following poxvirus infection is screwed towards a Th2 MTMR9 cytokine profile (enhanced IL-4 and IL-10), reduced cytotoxic NK and CD8+ T cell responses and enhanced populations of suppressive Treg cells

[78]. Recent studies have demonstrated that deletion of the MVA IL-18BP gene can significantly enhance the efficacy of MVA vectored vaccines with increases in the HIV specific CD8+ and CD4+ T cell populations following immunisation [79]. In conclusion, our data indicate that transiently neutralising of IL-13 activity specifically at the priming cell milieu can significantly improve the avidity of the resulting HIV specific CD8+ T cell responses. However, the transient co-neutralisation of both IL-4 and IL-13 activity at the vaccination site is greatly beneficial in the induction of both gag-specific IgG1 and IgG2a antibody immunity, unlike the IL-13Rα2 adjuvanted vaccine that only has the capacity to induce IgG1 antibodies while inhibiting IgG2a.

Table 3 summarizes the responses received to both the vaccinator

Table 3 summarizes the responses received to both the vaccinator and the supervisor questionnaires. In Kangaré, three unfinished vials of OPV had to be disposed of during the PFI-2 chemical structure CC days, which used ice packs and traditional cold chain procedures. This was due to the humidity generated by the ice packs inside the vaccine carrier, which caused the labels to get wet

and subsequently detach from the vials, rendering them unreadable and therefore the vials unusable. Two of these vials were full. Maintaining the standard cold chain during vaccination campaigns is a challenge, especially in areas where electricity, equipment and resources are scarce. This study provides evidence that flexible cold chain management procedures as outlined in the WHO document

on flexible cold chain management are possible to implement [6]. We found that OPV kept outside of the cold chain during NID activities remained sufficiently potent for use as per its VVM status. No VVM reached the endpoint despite exposure to external temperatures between 25 and 40 °C during vaccination activities that lasted nearly seven hours on average. There was no OPV wastage resulting from heat exposure. The OCC procedure was easily understood and feasible for all vaccination teams that participated in the NID. This approach provides a possible practice for overcoming the challenges of delivering vaccines in situations where the continuity of the cold chain cannot be assured. Palbociclib manufacturer Our study was conducted in a rural context in a country with limited resources and high temperatures. In Mali, it is almost impossible Edoxaban to continuously maintain the cold chain in all settings. This is made even more difficult during national immunization campaigns, which strain

the country’s already overloaded transportation systems and storage capacities. Some additional factors make maintaining the cold chain problematic, notably the access to an infrastructure capable of freezing ice packs, as well as the need to carry these ice packs along with the OPV to maintain the recommended 2–8 °C temperature range. This is especially true during immunization activities outside the health care posts where it results in additional weight to be carried during the outreach vaccination activities. Moreover, the moisture generated by the ice packs inside the vaccine carriers soaks the OPV labels. After a few hours, the labels often either peel off and/or become destroyed, and the vial details as well as the VVM become unreadable. If a vial has not yet been opened or finished at this point, it must be disposed of. Vaccine wastage was higher on days with CC procedures, whereas on OCC days it was zero. The temperature data collected by the LogTag® recorders will inform programmatic guidance for controlled temperature chains.

The long version of the International Physical Activity Questionn

The long version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ long) was used to measure the frequency and duration of walking, moderate, and vigorous intensity physical activity for leisure Nintedanib cell line purposes during the past seven days (International Physical

Activity Questionnaire). The IPAQ data were then converted into metabolic equivalent (MET) scores following the IPAQ scoring procedure. The number of total minutes dedicated to each activity class was multiplied by MET score to calculate the weekly LTPA and leisure-time walking (LTW) level (MET-min) (Guidelines for Data Processing). Individual-level data includes residents’ perceptions on built environment and their personal (demographic,

ABT-199 concentration anthropometric, and SES) variables. Considering the coverage of various dimensions of built environment and number of items, the present study chose the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale (NEWS-A) to be our environmental module (Cerin et al., 2006). Participants were asked to evaluate their neighborhood by responding to statements concerning various environmental attributes. The “neighborhood” was defined as an area within a 10–15 min walk from home. The subscales included the following seven variables: 1) Residential density: five items about the frequency of various types of neighborhood residence on a 5-point scale (“none”, “a few”, “some”, “a lot”, and “all”). 2) Access to commercial and physical activity destinations: the average walking distance in minutes to the nearest destination of that kind. 17 kinds of destinations tuclazepam were assessed; nine of them were classified as physical activity facility destinations based on the PANES questionnaire (Sallis). 3) Access to public services: six items including accessibility to neighborhood shopping area, ease of

access to a public transportation stop, and barriers to walking in the neighborhood. 4) Street connectivity: three items inquiring the perceptions of street connections, distance between intersections and route selection. 5) Sidewalk and bike lane quality: eight items including the availability, maintenance, separation, and barriers on sidewalks and bike lanes. 6) Esthetic quality: six items about road greenery, attractive buildings, and natural sights within the neighborhood. 7) Safety from traffic and crime: eight items including traffic volume, driving speed, facilities helping to cross the street, street lighting, and perception of safety during the day and at night. The response format was a 4-point scale ranging from “strongly disagree” (score 1) to “strongly agree” (score 4). Items were reverse coded if necessary to make sure that increasing score reflected better perception of built environment. A cutoff point of 5-min walking was used to create sum scores for access to commercial and physical activity destinations.

For real-time stability monitoring, all four WHO BCG RRs of BCG v

For real-time stability monitoring, all four WHO BCG RRs of BCG vaccines were used (NIBSC code: 07/270, 07/272, 07/274, 10/272). The BCG Moreau-RJ samples were sent to 16 participants in 13 different countries. These include 7 BCG vaccine manufacturers and 9 national control laboratories worldwide. Fifteen of the participating laboratories I-BET151 manufacturer agreed to perform the cultural viable count assay for the estimation of CFU, 10 agreed to perform the modified ATP assay and 13 agreed to perform the mPCR assay. All participants are experienced in cultural viable count assay for lyophilized

BCG preparations but familiarity with the modified ATP and mPCR assays is varied. Many of the participants have been involved in a previous collaborative study which involved the use of these techniques. For this report, a code number was allocated at random to each participant, not necessarily representing the order of the participant list (Appendix I). Participants were requested to test 10 ampoules of BCG Moreau-RJ

vaccine preparation in their established routine in-house method for the cultural viable count assay, 10 ampoules in the modified ATP assay and 2 ampoules in the mPCR assay. For the cultural viable count assay the study design recommended the 10 ampoules of BCG sample should be tested in at least two to three independent experiments using different batches of solid medium preparation. No pooling of reconstituted BCG ampoules was permitted for this study and each ampoule was tested individually. Three 1:2 serial dilutions (with the optimal dilution as the middle of the serial LDN-193189 supplier dilutions) were prepared from each reconstituted ampoule. Each diluted suspension was tested in triplicate, resulting in three readings per dilution and a total of nine readings Ketanserin per ampoule. After approximately 21 days incubation at 37 °C the average CFU counts were calculated, recorded and sent to NIBSC for collation and statistical analysis. Laboratories participating in the modified ATP assay estimated the content of ATP in 10 lyophilized BCG Moreau RJ samples following the protocol provided. The 10 ampoules

of BCG were tested in at least two to three independent experiments, as in the cultural viable count assay. Lyophilized BCG samples were reconstituted with 1 ml Dubos medium (SSI Diagnostica, Denmark) or other suitable culture medium; and the BCG suspensions were incubated at 37 °C for 22–26 h. Three 1:2 serial dilutions were prepared from each overnight BCG culture in pre-warmed medium (undiluted, 1:2 and 1:4). The procedures of ATP extraction and estimation were the same as described previously [10]. Results were recorded and data sent to NIBSC for collation and statistical analysis. Participants were requested to use their own in-house method to extract and purify DNA from two ampoules of BCG Moreau-RJ samples to be used in two independent mPCR assays. The mPCR assay protocol was provided to all participants and as described previously [9].

The group

The group Akt inhibitor has since identified a number of molecular mediators of enhanced GR expression in handled pups such as increased thyroid hormone secretion, serotonin turnover in the hippocampus, and hippocampal expression of nerve growth factor-inducible protein A (NGFI-A), a cAMP-inducible transcription factor that binds exon 17 of the GR promoter ( Meaney and Szyf,

2005, Meaney et al., 2000 and Weaver et al., 2004). In adult rats, epigenetic mechanisms maintain glucocorticoid receptor sensitivity in resilient animals. The 5′ CpG dinucleotide site of the NGFI-A consensus sequence on GR is always methylated in offspring of low licking and grooming (LG) mothers whereas it is associated with acetylated H3 in the offspring of high LG mothers ( Meaney and Szyf, 2005). Methylation of this site prevents the binding of NGFI-A to the GR promoter whereas acetylation has the opposite effect. In sum, high LG maternal care produces sustained epigenetic modifications

that induce enhanced glucocorticoid receptor expression, enhanced sensitivity to glucocorticoid negative feedback, reduced hypothalamic release of AVP and CRF, and ultimately attenuated HPA axis response to subsequent stress ( Kappeler and Meaney, 2010). Although less is known about the HPA mechanisms underlying resilience to adulthood stress, two recent studies identify pro-resilience epigenetic modifications at the CRF gene in PVN neurons and CRF gating of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) as important mediators. Following CSDS exposure, Elliott et al. (2010) reported increased CRF mRNA expression in see more the PVN and decreased methylation at nearly four CpG sites in the CRF promoter in susceptible, but not resilient,

mice. Viral-mediated knockdown of CRF in the PVN after social defeat promoted resilient behavior in the social interaction test, suggesting that CRF promoter methylation in resilient animals underlies adaptive neuroendocrine and behavioral responses. Walsh et al. (2014) found that optogenetic induction of phasic firing in dopaminergic neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) promoted social avoidance behavior in mice following subthreshold social defeat stress, an effect dependent upon CRF-gated induction of BDNF in the NAc, a structure in which VTA dopaminergic projections terminate. As CRF antagonist infusion blocked the effects of phasic stimulation on social avoidance behavior, CRF is likely an essential mediator of vulnerability and resilience to defeat stress. Future investigation of individual differences in CRF in the NAc will further elucidate CRF activity in resilient animals. The effects of sex hormones on resilience and vulnerability to stress are highly complicated and dependent upon the timing of stress (adulthood vs. developmental) and behavioral domain (cognitive vs. emotional resilience) (see Table 1).

e excipient ratio (X1) and percent drug concentration in liquid

e. excipient ratio (X1) and percent drug concentration in liquid medication (X2) had P < 0.05, demonstrating that they are significantly different from zero at the 95% confidence level. All authors have none to declare. "
“Acamprosate is the calcium salt of acetylhomotaurine and is chemically known as calcium 3-acetamidopropane-1-sulfonate. Acamprosate is a psychotropic drug used in the treatment of alcohol dependence. The mechanism

of action is believed to be through inhibition of glutaminergic N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors and activation GABA-grgic receptors.1, 2 and 3 Acamprosate calcium, C10H20O8N2S2Ca, has a molecular weight of 400.48 and three free acid molecular weight of 181.21. It is a white odorless powder and is freely soluble in water and practically insoluble in ethanol and dichloromethane.4 Literature survey reveals that only a click here few methods are reported previously to determine Acamprosate by using proton emission tomography,5 LC-MS,6, 7, 8 and 9 HPLC,10 Capillary

zone electrophorsis,11 LC-fluremetric electrochemical detection12 in a variety of matrices like human plasma5, 6, 7 and 8 and dog urine,9 dog plasma,10 pharmaceutical.11 and 12 Among all reported methods, LC-MS6, 7, 8 and 9 methods attain best results. Ghosh C, et al6 explained more about matrix effect of Acamprosate in biological matrices and they developed the method by using precipitation extraction method. Same authors (Ghosh C, et al) reported7 for quantification Acamprosate

with the linearity range between 7.04 and 702.20 ng/ml with Precipitation extraction method by using LC-MS/MS in human plasma. Hammarberg et al8 reported learn more the method, both in human plasma and CSF (Ceribrospinal fluid) by using LC-MS/MS and they quantified the drug with the linearity range between 9 and 33 ng/ml in CSF and 25 times higher than CSF in human plasma. Rhee et.al9 reported the method in dog plasma by precipitation extraction method with LC-MS/MS with the Megestrol Acetate linearity range between 200 and 10,000 ng/mL. Chabenat et al,10 reported the method in dog urine by using HPLC. As of our knowledge, the reported methods does not provide stable, reproducible extraction methods interms of matrix effect, and with high sensitive method. The purpose of this investigation was to explore high selective, sensitive, rapid, stable, reproducible extraction method in long run with broader linear range. At the same time, it could be expected that, this method would be efficient in analyzing large numbers of plasma samples obtained for pharmacokinetic, bioavailability or bioequivalence studies. Acamprosate obtained from Emcure Pharmaceuticals, Pune, India and Acamprosate D12 was obtained from Vivan life sciences, Mumbai, India (Fig. 1A and B). LC grade methanol, acetonitrile, were purchased from J.T. Baker Inc. (Phillipsburg, NJ, USA). Reagent grade formic acid and ammonium formate were procured from Merck (Mumbai, India).

Also study investigators collected stool samples at participant h

Also study investigators collected stool samples at participant houses for each case of diarrhea. Finally, during the second year, the CSCOM fees (usually higher than the traditional healer’s fee) were paid for by the study, as were costs of medicines prescribed at the discretion of the study physician. With these modifications, the surveillance for detection of RVGE cases was greatly strengthened during the second year of surveillance. Moreover, in the second

year of the study monthly meetings were held with all the traditional healers providing services within the study areas to inform them about the study objectives to ask them to refer gastroenteritis cases that they see to the closest CSCOM. The traditional Sotrastaurin order healers were reimbursed for transportation expenses that they incurred in coming to the meeting. RAD001 price Once a week the most prominent leaders among the traditional healers were visited at the places where they deliver care to remind them about referring suspected gastroenteritis

cases to the CSCOMs. As reported elsewhere [8], the primary study outcome was severe RVGE, regardless of serotype, occurring ≥14 days after the third dose until the end of the study. Gastroenteritis was defined as ≥3 watery or looser than normal stools within a 24-h period and/or forceful vomiting. Data on ongoing symptoms and signs were collected throughout the course of the episode. These data were used to define severity using the 20-point modified Vesikari Clinical Scoring System (VCSS) [11] and [12]; “severe” was defined as a Resminostat score of ≥11. Secondary efficacy endpoints included efficacy against severe RVGE by individual circulating RV serotypes (not reported

in this manuscript), and efficacy against severe RVGE for all infants who received at least one dose of vaccine (intention-to-treat (ITT) analyses). Other efficacy analyses included efficacy against severe RVGE through the first year of life and during the second year of life in Mali. Rotavirus antigen in stool was detected by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) [9] and the RV genotype was confirmed by RT-PCR [10]. Serum anti-rotavirus IgA responses and serum neutralizing antibody (SNA) responses to human RV serotypes G1, G2, G3, G4, and P1A [8] were measured in serum specimens collected before (pre-dose 1 (pD1)) and following the third dose of vaccine (approximately 14 days post-dose 3 (PD3)) in a subset of 150 infants to document immunologic responses [8]. Pre-dose 1 (pD1) and PD3 geometric mean titers (GMTs) of serum anti-RV IgA and RV SNA responses, as well as the seroresponse rates (≥3-fold rise from pD1 to PD3) of serum anti-RV IgA and RV SNA, were measured along with 95% confidence intervals. Efficacy was defined as (1 − Rvaccine/Rplacebo) × 100%, where R represents the incidence for each group. The number of cases in each group was assumed to follow a Poisson distribution.

Clearly,

the identification of safe and effective adjuvan

Clearly,

the identification of safe and effective adjuvants represents a key step on the development of new vaccine formulations. The heat-labile enterotoxins (LT) are AB-type toxins produced by some enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) endowed with powerful adjuvant effects on both humoral and cellular immune responses to co-administered antigens [30] and [31]. Due to the intrinsic toxic effects of mucosal-delivered LT, attenuated or nontoxic LT mutants with preserved adjuvanticity have been generated by site-directed mutagenesis [31]. LTK63, LTR72 and LTR192G, with amino acid changes in the A subunit, and LTG33D with a single point mutation at the B subunit, are the best characterized LT derivatives regarding both biological effects and immunological activities [32], [33], [34] and [35]. Replacing the glycine PLX3397 price at position 33 of the B subunit with aspartate (G33D) abolishes LT binding to the GM1 ganglioside receptor and, consequently, reduces the toxin adjuvanticity following delivery via oral route [33]. Nonetheless,

parenteral administration of LTG33D has been shown Y-27632 to preserve the adjuvant properties of the protein for both B and T cell responses against co-administered antigens without induction of deleterious inflammatory reactions [35]. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of anti-DENV vaccines based on a recombinant NS1 protein derived from type 2 DENV (DENV2) generated in a prokaryotic expression system with preserved structural and immunological features [36]. Vaccine formulations

based on the recombinant NS1 protein admixed with three different adjuvants, alum, Freund’s adjuvant [FA] and LTG33D, were tested in mice trough parenteral administration. The results demonstrated that the adjuvant choice strongly affects both the immunogenicity and, more Metalloexopeptidase relevantly, the induction of protective immune responses in vaccinated mice. The results also indicate that the combination of recombinant NS1 and LTG33D generates protective antibody responses without the induction of significant deleterious side effects. All handling procedures and experiments involving mice were approved by the committee on the ethical use of laboratory animals from the Institute of Biomedical Sciences of São Paulo University, in accordance with the recommendations in the guidelines for the care and use of laboratory animals of the National Committee on the Ethics of Research (CONEP). The dengue 2 virus (DENV-2) strain New Guinea C (NGC) was used in the challenge assays [16], [37] and [38]. DENV-2 NGC strain propagation was carried out in Vero cells cultured in medium 199 with Earle salts (E199) buffered with sodium bicarbonate (Sigma, USA), supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS).