[Preliminary study on human embryonic kidney cell line HEK-293 after porcine endogenous retrovirus infection].
OBJECTIVE
To assess the infectivity of porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV) via in vitro infection of human embryonic kidney cell line HEK-293.


METHODS
PERV particles were detected by immunoelectron microscopy. PERV DNA and mRNA were studied in HEK-293 24 hours after the infection using polymerase chain reaction and reverse transcriptase-PCR respectively. The PERV types were also analyzed. PERV-gag protein was observed by confocal microscopy.


RESULTS
Retroviral particles were round under electron microscope. PERV-gag pol gene and gag protein were detected and expressed in the infected HEK-293 cells. The types of PERV were PERV-A and PERV-B. PERV-gag protein was also identified in the cytoplasm of infected cells by confocal microscopy.


CONCLUSIONS
PERV is able to infect HEK-293 cell line in vitro; types of PERV-gag protein is also expressed as a result. Further studies are thus necessary in order to evaluate the possibility of xenozoonoses in pig-to-human xenotransplantation.
Yu
Ping
P
Lab of Transplantation Engineering and Immunology, Department of Pathology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Zhang
Li
L
Bu
Hong
H
Li
Sheng-fu
SF
Li
You-ping
YP
Cheng
Jing-qiu
JQ
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D020077:Endogenous Retroviruses / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D005784:Gene Amplification; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015750:Genes, gag; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D013552:Swine
D004279:DNA, Viral; D015683:Gene Products, gag; D012333:RNA, Messenger