Deletion of the auxiliary α2δ1 voltage sensitive calcium channel subunit in osteocytes and late-stage osteoblasts impairs femur strength and load-induced bone formation in male mice

Osteocytes sense and respond to mechanical force by controlling the activity of other bone cells. However, the mechanisms by which osteocytes sense mechanical input and transmit biological signals remain unclear. Voltage-sensitive calcium channels (VSCCs) regulate calcium (Ca2+) influx in response to external stimuli. Inhibition or deletion of VSCCs impairs osteogenesis and skeletal responses to mechanical loading. VSCC activity is influenced by its auxiliary subunits, which bind the channel's α1 pore-forming subunit to alter intracellular Ca2+ concentrations. The α2δ1 auxiliary subunit associates with the pore-forming subunit via a glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor and regulates the channel's calcium-gating kinetics. Knockdown of α2δ1 in osteocytes impairs responses to membrane stretch, and global deletion of α2δ1 in mice results in osteopenia and impaired skeletal responses to loading in vivo. Therefore, we hypothesized that the α2δ1 subunit functions as a mechanotransducer, and its deletion in osteocytes would impair skeletal development and load-induced bone formation. Mice (C57BL/6) with LoxP sequences flanking Cacna2d1, the gene encoding α2δ1, were crossed with mice expressing Cre under the control of the Dmp1 promoter (10 kb). Deletion of α2δ1 in osteocytes and late-stage osteoblasts decreased femoral bone quantity (P < .05) by DXA, reduced relative osteoid surface (P < .05), and altered osteoblast and osteocyte regulatory gene expression (P < .01). Cacna2d1f/f, Cre + male mice displayed decreased femoral strength and lower 10-wk cancellous bone in vivo micro-computed tomography measurements at the proximal tibia (P < .01) compared to controls, whereas Cacna2d1f/f, Cre + female mice showed impaired 20-wk cancellous and cortical bone ex vivo micro-computed tomography measurements (P < .05) vs controls. Deletion of α2δ1 in osteocytes and late-stage osteoblasts suppressed load-induced calcium signaling in vivo and decreased anabolic responses to mechanical loading in male mice, demonstrating decreased mechanosensitivity. Collectively, the α2δ1 auxiliary subunit is essential for the regulation of osteoid-formation, femur strength, and load-induced bone formation in male mice.

Post or perish? Social media strategies for disseminating orthopedic research

Social media usage, particularly Twitter, among scientists in academia has increased in recent years. However, Twitter's use in scholarly post-publication dissemination of orthopaedic research and musculoskeletal advocacy remains low. To enhance usage of Twitter among musculoskeletal researchers, this article reviews data supporting the professional benefits of using the platform to disseminate scholarly works. Next, we provide a linear workflow for Tweet curation, discuss the importance of data-driven decision making behind tweet curation and posting, and propose new guidelines for professional Twitter usage. Since this workflow may not eliminate all the identified barriers and new institutionalized shifts in policies regarding curation and consumption of social media on Twitter, we also briefly introduce and explore using other social media platforms. We hope this information will be persuasive and compelling to those in the orthopedic research field and be broadly applicable to others in related scientific fields who wish to disseminate findings and engage a public audience on social media. In addition, we encourage the Orthopedic Research Society (ORS) and Journal of Orthopedic Research (JOR) communities to take advantage of the many tools curated by the Wiley editorial office and the ORS social media committee to increase dissemination of their scholarly works online. Twitter and social media can assist in accomplishing our mission of creating a world without musculoskeletal limitations via the timely dissemination of orthopedic information. However, this can only be accomplished if the orthopedic research community has a unified and strong online presence actively engaged in orthopaedic research findings and news.

A Fluorescent Intravital Imaging Approach to Study Load-Induced Calcium Signaling Dynamics in Mouse Osteocytes

Bone tissue is exquisitely sensitive to differences in mechanical load magnitude. Osteocytes, dendritic cells that form a syncytium throughout the bone, are responsible for the mechanosensory function of bone tissue. Studies employing histology, mathematical modeling, cell culture, and ex vivo bone organ cultures have greatly advanced the understanding of osteocyte mechanobiology. However, the fundamental question of how osteocytes respond to and encode mechanical information at the molecular level in vivo is not well understood. Intracellular calcium concentration fluctuations in osteocytes offer a useful target for learning more about acute bone mechanotransduction mechanisms. Here, we report a method for studying osteocyte mechanobiology in vivo, combining a mouse strain with a fluorescently genetically encoded calcium indicator expressed in osteocytes with an in vivo loading and imaging system to directly detect osteocyte calcium levels during loading. This is achieved with a three-point bending device that can deliver well-defined mechanical loads to the third metatarsal of living mice while simultaneously monitoring fluorescently indicated calcium responses of osteocytes using two-photon microscopy. This technique allows for direct in vivo observation of osteocyte calcium signaling events in response to whole bone loading and is useful in the endeavor to reveal mechanisms in osteocyte mechanobiology.

Gabapentin Disrupts Binding of Perlecan to the α2δ1 Voltage Sensitive Calcium Channel Subunit and Impairs Skeletal Mechanosensation

Our understanding of how osteocytes, the principal mechanosensors within bone, sense and perceive force remains unclear. Previous work identified "tethering elements" (TEs) spanning the pericellular space of osteocytes and transmitting mechanical information into biochemical signals. While we identified the heparan sulfate proteoglycan perlecan (PLN) as a component of these TEs, PLN must attach to the cell surface to induce biochemical responses. As voltage-sensitive calcium channels (VSCCs) are critical for bone mechanotransduction, we hypothesized that PLN binds the extracellular α₂δ₁ subunit of VSCCs to couple the bone matrix to the osteocyte membrane. Here, we showed co-localization of PLN and α₂δ₁ along osteocyte dendritic processes. Additionally, we quantified the molecular interactions between α₂δ₁ and PLN domains and demonstrated for the first time that α₂δ₁ strongly associates with PLN via its domain III. Furthermore, α₂δ₁ is the binding site for the commonly used pain drug, gabapentin (GBP), which is associated with adverse skeletal effects when used chronically. We found that GBP disrupts PLN::α₂δ₁ binding in vitro, and GBP treatment in vivo results in impaired bone mechanosensation. Our work identified a novel mechanosensory complex within osteocytes composed of PLN and α₂δ₁, necessary for bone force transmission and sensitive to the drug GBP.

Osteocyte calcium signaling - A potential translator of mechanical load to mechanobiology

Osteocytes are embedded dendritic bone cells; by virtue of their position in bone tissue, ability to coordinate bone building osteoblasts and resorbing osteoclasts, and sensitivity to tissue level mechanical loading, they serve as the resident bone mechanosensor. The mechanisms osteocytes use to change mechanical loading into biological signals that drive tissue level changes has been well studied over the last 30 years, however the ways loading parameters are encoded at the cellular level are still not fully understood. Calcium signaling is a first messenger signal exhibited by osteocytes in response to mechanical forces. A body of work interrogating the mechanisms of osteocyte calcium signaling exists and is presently expanding, presenting the opportunity to better understand the relationship between calcium signaling characteristics and tuned osteocyte responses to tissue level strain features (e.g. magnitude, duration, frequency). This review covers the history of osteocyte load induced calcium signaling and highlights potential cellular mechanisms used by osteocytes to turn details about loading parameters into biological events.

Estrogen depletion on In vivo osteocyte calcium signaling responses to mechanical loading

Microstructural adaptation of bone in response to mechanical stimuli is diminished with estrogen deprivation. Here we tested in vivo whether ovariectomy (OVX) alters the acute response of osteocytes, the principal mechanosensory cells of bone, to mechanical loading in mice. We also used super resolution microscopy (Structured Illumination microscopy or SIM) in conjunction with immunohistochemistry to assess changes in the number and organization of "osteocyte mechanosomes" - complexes of Panx1 channels, P2X7 receptors and CaV3 voltage-gated Ca²⁺ channels clustered around α_vβ₃ integrin foci on osteocyte processes. Third metatarsals bones of mice expressing an osteocyte-targeted genetically encoded Ca²⁺ indicator (DMP1-GCaMP3) were cyclically loaded in vivo to strains from 250 to 3000 με and osteocyte intracellular Ca²⁺ signaling responses were assessed in mid-diaphyses using multiphoton microscopy. The number of Ca²⁺ signaling osteocytes in control mice increase monotonically with applied strain magnitude for the physiological range of strains. The relationship between the number of Ca²⁺ signaling osteocytes and loading was unchanged at 2 days post-OVX. However, it was altered markedly at 28 days post-OVX. At loads up to 1000 με, there was a dramatic reduction in number of responding (i.e. Ca²⁺ signaling) osteocytes; however, at higher strains the numbers of Ca²⁺ signaling osteocytes were similar to control mice. OVX significantly altered the abundance, make-up and organization of osteocyte mechanosome complexes on dendritic processes. Numbers of α_vβ₃ foci also staining with either Panx 1, P2X7R or CaV3 declined by nearly half after OVX, pointing to a loss of osteocyte mechanosomes on the dendritic processes with estrogen depletion. At the same time, the areas of the remaining foci that stained for α_vβ₃ and channel proteins increased significantly, a redistribution of mechanosome components suggesting a potential compensatory response. These results demonstrate that the deleterious effects of estrogen depletion on skeletal mechanical adaptation appear at the level of mechanosensation; osteocytes lose the ability to sense small (physiological) mechanical stimuli. This decline may result at least partly from changes in the structure and organization of osteocyte mechanosomes, which contribute to the distinctive sensitivity of osteocytes (particularly their dendritic processes) to mechanical stimulation.

The mTORC2 Component Rictor Is Required for Load-Induced Bone Formation in Late-Stage Skeletal Cells

Bone relies on mechanical cues to build and maintain tissue composition and architecture. Our understanding of bone cell mechanotransduction continues to evolve, with a few key signaling pathways emerging as vital. Wnt/β‐catenin, for example, is essential for proper anabolic response to mechanical stimulation. One key complex that regulates β‐catenin activity is the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 2 (mTORc2). mTORc2 is critical for actin cytoskeletal reorganization, an indispensable component in mechanotransduction in certain cell types. In this study, we probed the impact of the mTORc2 signaling pathway in osteocyte mechanotransduction by conditionally deleting the mTORc2 subunit Rictor in Dmp1‐expressing cells of C57BL/6 mice. Conditional deletion of the Rictor was achieved using the Dmp1–Cre driver to recombine Rictor floxed alleles. Rictor mutants exhibited a decrease in skeletal properties, as measured by DXA, μCT, and mechanical testing, compared with Cre‐negative floxed littermate controls. in vivo axial tibia loading conducted in adult mice revealed a deficiency in the osteogenic response to loading among Rictor mutants. Histological measurements of osteocyte morphology indicated fewer, shorter cell processes in Rictor mutants, which might explain the compromised response to mechanical stimulation. In summary, inhibition of the mTORc2 pathway in late osteoblasts/osteocytes leads to decreased bone mass and mechanically induced bone formation. © 2020 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

A New Report of Xanthomonas cucurbitae Causing Bacterial Leaf Spot of Watermelon in Georgia, USA

In June 2012, watermelon leaves (Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai) were observed with angular, necrotic spots with chlorotic halos in a field in Telfair County, GA. The field exhibited 20 to 25% disease incidence with no observable symptoms on fruits. Isolations were made from foliar lesions of 30 leaves onto yeast extract-dextrose-CaCO₃ (YDC) agar medium (3). Yellow-pigmented, Xanthomonas-like colonies were observed after 48-h incubation at 28°C from 100% of the samples. Bacteria harvested were gram-negative, oxidase-negative, indole-negative, hydrolyzed starch and esculin, and formed pits on crystal violet pectate and carboxymethyl cellulose media. The bacterial isolates did not produce nitrites from nitrates but produced hypersensitive reactions on tobacco upon inoculation with 1 × 10⁸ colony-forming units (CFU)/ml. These characteristics are typical of members of the Xanthomonas campestris group. The genus Xanthomonas was confirmed using conventional PCR with genus-specific primers RST2 (5'AGGCCCTGGAAGGTGCCCTGGA3') and RST3 (5'ATCGCACTGCGTACCGCGCGCGA3'), which produced an 840-bp band. Universal primers fD1 and rD1 (1) were used to amplify the 16S rRNA gene from four isolates and amplified products were sequenced and BLAST searched in GenBank. The nucleotide sequences of the isolates showed 97 to 98% similarity to X. cucurbitae (Accessions AB680438.1 and Y10760), X. campestris (HQ256868.1), X. arboricola (JF835910.1), X. oryzae pv. oryzicola (CP003057.1) and X. campestris pv. raphani (CP002789.1). PCR amplification and sequencing of the atpD gene (ATP synthase, 720 bp) showed 99% similarity with X. cucurbitae when BLAST searched in GenBank (HM568911.1). X. cucurbitae was not present in the database of BIOLOG (Biolog, Hayward, CA); therefore, substrate utilization tests of three isolates were compared with substrate utilization patterns of Xanthomonas groups reported by Vauterin et al. (4). The watermelon isolates displayed 93.7, 89.5, and 89.5% similarity with the reported BIOLOG metabolic profiles of X. campestris, X. cucurbitae, and X. hortorum, respectively, of Xanthomonas groups 15, 8, and 2. However, none of the isolates were amplified using a conventional PCR assay with X. campestris pv. campestris and X. campestris pv. raphani-specific primers (2), indicating a closer relationship with X. cucurbitae. When 2-week old watermelon seedlings cv. Crimson sweet (n = 4/isolate/experiment) were inoculated by spraying with a suspension of 1 × 10⁸ CFU/ml, 100% of the seedlings developed symptoms (water soaked angular lesions that developed into necrotic spots) 14 days after planting under greenhouse conditions (~30°C and ~70% RH). Ten control plants inoculated with sterile water remained asymptomatic. Bacterial colonies were reisolated from symptomatic seedlings that showed similar characteristics to those described above. The identity of isolated colonies was confirmed by amplifying and sequencing the 16S rRNA gene, which showed 97 to 98% similarity to X cucurbitae accessions in GenBank. To our knowledge, this is the first report of X. cucurbitae on watermelon in Georgia since the 1950s. References: (1) Y. Besancon et al. Biotechnol. Appl. Biochem. 20:131, 1994. (2) Leu et al. Plant Pathol. Bull. 19:137, 2010. (3) N. W. Schaad et al. Laboratory Guide for Identification of Plant Pathogenic Bacteria, 3rd ed. APS Press. St. Paul, MN, 2001. (4) Vauterin et al. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 45:472, 1995.

Sexual reproduction and gene flow in the pine pathogen Dothistroma septosporum in British Columbia

Dothistroma septosporum has caused a serious needle blight epidemic in the lodgepole pine forests in northwest British Columbia over the past several years. Although ascocarps had been observed in British Columbia, nothing was known about the contribution of sexual reproduction, gene flow and long-distance dispersal to the epidemic. Amplified fragment length polymorphism and mating-type markers in 19 sites were used to generate population and reproductive data. Overall, evidence suggests a mixed mode of reproduction. Haplotypic diversity was high, with 79 unique and 56 shared haplotypes (possible clones) identified from 192 fungal isolates. Overall, mating-type segregation did not differ significantly from 1:1; however, random mating was rejected in most populations in the index of association and parsimony tree-length permutation analyses using the full data set and, when using clone-corrected data sets, more of the smaller populations showed random mating. Two of the smaller populations consistently showed random mating for both tests using both clone-corrected and noncorrected data. High gene flow is suggested by no differentiation between 14 of the 19 sites, several of which came from young plantations where the pathogen was not likely present prior to the current outbreak. The remaining five sites showed some level of divergence, possibly due to historic separation and endemic pathogen populations. Results indicate a high evolutionary potential and long-distance dispersal in this pathogen, important to consider in future forest management.

First Report of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Causing 'Twister Disease' of Onion (Allium cepa) in Georgia

In the fall of 2007, onion seedlings with twisted and distorted leaves were observed in seedbeds in multiple fields in the Vidalia onion region of Georgia. Tests for viruses and bacteria were negative and chemical injury was deemed improbable because of disease distribution in the fields. Upon further investigation, fungal fruiting bodies were observed on the outside sheath of a few of the seedlings. Symptomatic plants were cut into 1-cm segments and surface sterilized in 70% ethanol for 3 min. After rinsing in sterile water, the segments were placed onto potato dextrose agar amended with tetracycline. The fungus isolated from symptomatic plants fit the description of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Penz. & Sacc. Conidia were aseptate, cylindrical, and hyaline. Sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer region and a BLAST search in GenBank (99% sequence similarity to C. gloeosporioides accessions) confirmed the identification. Ten onion seedlings were spray inoculated with a suspension of 1 × 10⁷ spores/ml until runoff, and four seedlings were inoculated with water as negative controls. Plants were bagged for 12 h to maintain high relative humidity. Five plants were placed in the greenhouse and five plants placed in a growth chamber at 22°C. All plants inoculated with C. gloeosporioides developed distorted and twisted leaves 3 weeks after inoculation in the growth chamber and 5 weeks after inoculation in the greenhouse. Night time temperatures in the greenhouse (15°C) were lower than those in the growth chamber (22°C). Seedlings inoculated with water showed no symptoms. The fungus was reisolated from symptomatic plants. C. gloeosporioides has been reported to cause a disease called twister on onion in tropical regions (1). The fall of 2007 was unusually warm with maximum temperatures reaching 26°C during the day. The pathogen is present on many crops in the United States, but to our knowledge, this is the first report of C. gloeosporioides causing twister disease of onion in the United States. In Nigeria and Brazil, yield losses as much as 100% were observed in fields with infected onions (1). The impact of infection on the growth of the transplants and subsequent yield in Vidalia onions is currently unknown. References: (1) J. P. Hill. Compendium of Onion and Garlic Diseases. 2nd ed. The American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN, 2008.

Estrogen receptor mutations

The purpose of this paper is to review potential novel functional pathways by which estradiol and estrogenic compounds elicit biological responses in mammals. We will limit our approach to those novel functions suggested by phenotypes associated with estrogen receptor-alpha (ER alpha) gene mutations and polymorphisms. The study of these pathways has been greatly aided by the availability of ER alpha-minus mice, which lack classic biological responses to estradiol. In addition, the availability of an ER alpha-minus human family, aromatase-minus human families, and in the near future an aromatase-minus mouse model will allow correlations of novel phenotypes with the lack of active ER alpha protein. The ER alpha-minus mice can potentially be used to characterize in depth novel clinical phenotypes that link the functions of estrogens with sexual maturation, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, and cancer.

Development of a sustained-release biodegradable polymer delivery system for site-specific delivery of oligonucleotides: characterization of P(LA-GA) copolymer microspheres in vitro

Development of a Sustained-Release Biodegradable Polymer Delivery System for Site-Specific Delivery of Oligonucleotides: Characterization of P(LA-GA) Copolymer Microspheres In Vitro Antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) can selectively inhibit individual gene expression provided they gain access to and remain stable at the target site for a sufficient period of time. Biodegradable sustained-release delivery systems may facilitate site-specific delivery and also prevent degradation of ODNs by nucleases whilst delivering the nucleic acid in a controlled manner to the desired site of action. In this study, we have characterized biodegradable poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (P(LA-GA)) 50:50 microspheres for the potential delivery of antisense oligonucleotides in vivo. Phosphodiester (PO) oligonucleotides complementary to either c-myc proto-oncogene or the tat gene in HIV-RNA were adequately incorporated within P(LA-GA) microspheres with entrapment efficiencies up to 60% depending on particles size. In vitro release profiles of antisense nucleic acids from 10-20 microm size microspheres over 56 days in physiological buffer were triphasic. Profiles were characterised by an initial burst effect during the first 48 hours (phase 1) of release followed by a more sustained release (phase 2) with an additional increased release (phase 3) being observed after 25 days which corresponded with bulk degradation of the copolymer matrix. The release profiles were influenced by microsphere size, copolymer molecular weight, ODN loading, ODN length and by the pH of release medium used. The serum stability of PO ODNs was significantly improved when entrapped within P(LA-GA) microspheres and the hybridization capability, as assessed by duplex melting (Tm) measurements, of released ODN was not impaired by the double-emulsion microsphere fabrication procedure used. Thus, P(LA-GA) microspheres appear to be promising candidates for improving site-specific delivery profiles for ODNs and are worthy of further evaluation in vivo.

Evaluation of the therapeutic efficacy of some antimuscarinics against soman in vivo

The therapeutic efficacy of tacrine, atropine and glycopyrrolate alone or in combination with the oxime HI-6 against soman was evaluated in anaesthetized rats. Arterial blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory frequency and body temperature were monitored in vivo. Blood cholinesterases were determined after each drug or soman challenge. At the lowest concentration tested (2.5 mg kg-1), tacrine was effective in improving the survivability of the rat by a factor of 2.6 (protection ratio), whereas the protection by atropine or glycopyrrolate was either insignificant or only marginally effective (protection ratio ranged from 1.0 to 1.9). In combination with HI-6, atropine increased the ratio to 4.6. In contrast, tacrine with HI-6 failed to improve the efficacy of the regimen, while glycopyrrolate plus HI-6 showed only slight improvement. The four physiological parameters monitored were relatively constant during the time course of the experiment in both the control and those with drug therapy. The more noticeable changes occurred toward the end of the experiment when sufficient amount of soman was injected to cause lethality. Death of the animal was usually preceded by a surge of arterial blood pressure and heart rate and a decrease in respiratory frequency. These physiological parameters rapidly deteriorated to zero just before the animal died. Blood and plasma cholinesterases were significantly inhibited after the animal received a relatively small dose of soman (20 micrograms kg-1) and were almost completely inactivated after the lethal dose of soman was administered. However, these changes of enzyme activity did not correspond well with the survivability of the rat. The inclusion of HI-6 with the three antimuscarinics appeared to be capable of protecting some cholinesterases against soman.

The lipolytic activity of low concentrations of insulin-like growth factors in ovine adipose tissue

Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) at concentrations of 40 ng/ml is lipogenic in ovine adipose tissue slices in vitro. Neither human IGF-II (hIGF-II) or rat IGF-II (rIGF-II) [multiplication-stimulating activity (MSA)] is lipogenic at similar concentrations. However, when present at lower concentrations recombinant human IGF-I (rhIGF-I) (400 pg/ml), hIGF-II (0.4 pg/ml), and MSA (40 pg/ml) were lipolytic. As IGF-II appeared more potent than IGF-I in promoting lipolysis, this effect may be mediated via the type 2 IGF receptor. The lipolytic effect of GH may be partly due to the actions of IGFs released locally.

Residual formaldehyde in dialyzers: quantity, location, and the effect of different methods of rinsing

When formalin-sterilized dialyzers were rinsed by our standard technique (similar to that used in many other dialysis centres) undesirable concentrations of formaldehyde were found in the dialyzers at the start of dialysis. When the technique was modified by passing part of the saline through the blood compartment immediately before connection and discarding the saline left in the dialyzer at the time of connection, the concentration of formaldehyde infused into the patient fell below 2 micrograms/ml. However, the dialyzers still contained up to 13 mg of formaldehyde which leached slowly from the dialyzer during simulated dialysis. Some residual formaldehyde was found in several components of the dialyzer but the great majority was contained in the cellulose membrane.

Formation of anti-N-like antibodies in dialysis patients: effect of different methods of dialyzer rinsing to remove formaldehyde

Use of formalin to sterilize dialyzers is known to be responsible for the formation of anti-N-like antibody in long-term hemodialysis patients. Patients dialyzed as in-patients using formalin were found to be completely free of anti-N-like antibody, while among those on home dialysis, there was a high prevalence (31%) and incidence. The hospital patients were found to be receiving concentrations of formaldehyde less than 1 microgram/ml while those on home dialysis received 3-13 micrograms/ml. This is offered as an explanation for the absence of anti-N-antibody in patients using formalin-sterilized dialyzers.

Efficacy of trivalent inactivated encephalomyelitis virus vaccine in horses

Twenty-nine horses were vaccinated with a trivalent (Venezuelan, eastern, and western) inactivated equine encephalomyelitis virus vaccine. The vaccine purchased for this study was the only one licensed and commercially available in May, 1975. Plaque-neutralizing and hemagglutinin-inhibiting antibodies in response to each of the 3 equine encephalomyelitis viruses were determined after vaccination. Horses had rising levels of plaque-neutralizing and hemagglutinin-inhibiting antibodies shortly after injection with the 1st and 2nd doses of the vaccine (given 3 weeks apart) and were refractory to challenge of immunity with virulent homologous virus at 3, 8, and 12 months after vaccination. After 12 months, 8 horses were revaccinated; maximum antigenic stimulation was achieved with the 1st dose of the 2nd series of vaccinations.