Bovine aortic endothelial cells are susceptible to Hantaan virus infection.
Hantavirus serotype Hantaan (HTN) is one of the causative agents of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS, lethality up to 10%). The natural host of HTN is Apodemus agrarius. Recent studies have shown that domestic animals like cattle are sporadically seropositive for hantaviruses. In the present study, the susceptibility of bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) expressing alpha(V)beta(3)-integrin to a HTN infection was investigated. Viral nucleocapsid protein and genomic RNA segments were detected in infected BAEC by indirect immunofluorescence assay, Western blot analysis, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), respectively. The results of this study strongly support our previous observation on Puumala virus (PUU) that has been propagated efficiently in BAEC. These findings open a new window to contemplate the ecology of hantavirus infection and transmission route from animal to man.
Bahr
U
U
Sektion Nephrologie, Klinikum der Universität Heidelberg, D-69115 Heidelberg, Germany.
Muranyi
W
W
Müller
S
S
Kehm
R
R
Handermann
M
M
Darai
G
G
Zeier
M
M
D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta; D015153:Blotting, Western; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D002417:Cattle; D002460:Cell Line; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000648:ultrastructure / Q000821:virology*; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D018063:Hantaan virus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D039302:Integrin alphaVbeta3 / Q000032:analysis; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000032:analysis
D036022:Capsid Proteins; D039302:Integrin alphaVbeta3; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; C111782:nucleocapsid protein, Hantaan virus