The dynamics of a Chinese porcine G9P[23] rotavirus production in MA-104 cells and intestines of 3-day-old piglets

Rotavirus A (RVA) G9 genotype is recognized as an emerging genotype which is spreading worldwide, however, our knowledge on pathogenicity of this virus is limited. In this study, porcine RVA strain HN03 was successfully isolated on MA-104 cells, and the isolate was propagated continuously for 7 passages after a virus cloning at passage 3. The virus titers from 4 to 10 passages ranged from 10(7.1) to 10(8.1) TCID(50)/ml. The growth curve of HN03 strain in cell culture was determined, and the virus production dynamics was confirmed by immunoperoxidase monolayer assay (IPMA). Sequence and phylogenetic analyses based on full-length VP7 and partial VP4 genes indicated that HN03 strain belongs to genotype G9P[23]. In addition, the sixth passage of strain HN03 in cell culture was subjected to 3-day-old piglets. All infected piglets developed severe watery diarrhea within 24 hr post-inoculation (hpi), but recovered from disease after 72 hpi. RVA antigen could be detected by IHC in the cytoplasm of villous enterocytes as early as 2 hr after appearance of clinical symptoms and virus antigen load kept increasing in the next 30 hr. The dynamics of RVA HN03 strain proliferation on cells and in pigs extended our understanding of rotavirus pathogenicity.