[Porcine endogenous retrovirus in Daweizi pigs in Hunan].
OBJECTIVE
To detect porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV) in Daweizi pigs and to provide basic parameters of evaluating the biological safety for xenotransplantation from pigs to humans.


METHODS
Ear tissues from 42 individuals were randomly collected from a Daweizi pig population. PCR and RT-PCR were performed to detect PERV proviral DNA and mRNA respectively. Finally, env-A, env-B, and env-C were amplified, sequenced, and analyzed using the BLAST software in National Center for Biotechnology Information.


RESULTS
PERV proviral DNA and mRNA could be detected in the 42 individuals by PCR and RT-PCR, respectively. env-A, env-B and env-C were detected in all the individuals. Compared with other pig species (AY288779, DQ011794 and AY534304), there was 1 and 8 bp differences in the sequences of env-A and env-C, while no difference in env-B.


CONCLUSIONS
PERV exists and has transcriptive activity in Daweizi pigs. The predominate subtype is PERV-ABC. Env genes are firstly cloned and sequenced in Daweizi pigs and there are polymorphism in the breed. As to the biological safety, the breed was not suitable as a donor in xenotransplantation.
Xing
Xiao-Wei
XW
Cell Transplantation & Gene Therapy Center, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410013, China.
Xue
Li-Qun
LQ
Mo
Zhao-Hui
ZH
Huang
Sheng-Qiang
SQ
Wang
Wei
W
D000818:Animals; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020077:Endogenous Retroviruses / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D013552:Swine / Q000821:virology*; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
D004279:DNA, Viral