Antiretroviral efficacy of a 98% solution of glycerol or ethylene oxide for inactivation of feline leukemia virus in bone.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether infectious retrovirus was inactivated in bones from FeLV-infected cats after ethylene oxide (ETO) sterilization or preservation in a 98% solution of glycerol in an in vitro cell culture system.


METHODS
Metatarsal bones obtained from 5 FeLV-infected cats and cultured with feline fibroblast cells.


METHODS
Metatarsal bones were treated with 100% ETO, a 98% solution of glycerol, or left untreated. Twenty-five flasks of feline fibroblast cells were assigned to 5 groups: negative control, positive control, ETO-treated bone, glycerol-treated bone, and untreated bone with 5 replicates/group for 4 passages. Media and cell samples were harvested from every flask at each passage to measure FeLV p27 antigen and the number of copies of provirus per 100 ng of DNA, respectively.


RESULTS
All negative control and ETO-treated group replicates were negative for FeLV p27 antigen and provirus throughout the study. All positive control group replicates were positive for FeLV p27 antigen and provirus at passages 1 to 4. Untreated bone group replicates were positive for FeLV p27 antigen at passages 3 and 4 and provirus beginning at passage 2. Glycerol-treated group replicates had delayed cell replication and were negative for FeLV p27 antigen and provirus at passages 1 to 4 and 2 to 4, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Ethylene oxide sterilization of bone from FeLV-infected cats appeared to abrogate transmission of infectious retrovirus and effectively sterilized bone allografts. Impact for Human Medicine-Additional studies to confirm effectiveness of ETO treatment of allograft tissues for prevention of pathogen transmission via transplantation are warranted.
Coronado
George S
GS
Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
Swenson
Cheryl L
CL
D000818:Animals; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D002415:Cats; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003720:Densitometry; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005027:Ethylene Oxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005347:Fibroblasts; D005990:Glycerol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005256:Leukemia Virus, Feline / Q000187:drug effects*; D016582:Leukemia, Feline / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D008682:Metatarsal Bones / Q000821:virology; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D011533:Proviruses / Q000187:drug effects*
D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; C413374:p27 antigen; D005027:Ethylene Oxide; D005990:Glycerol