Pre-screening of miniature swine may reduce the risk of transmitting human tropic recombinant porcine endogenous retroviruses.
BACKGROUND
It has been reported that peripheral blood mononuclear cells from miniature swine are capable of transmitting human tropic porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV) recombinants to both human and pig cells. It has been suggested that these recombinants are exogenous and/or driven by one or more critical loci present in the pig genome.


RESULTS
Genomic analysis of a miniature swine capable of transmitting human tropic replication competent (HTRC) recombinant PERV-A/C identified a PERV-C provirus in a region with homology to sequences located on chromosome 7. In "null" swine, incapable of in vitro transmission of PERV to human or pig cells, amplification using specific primers revealed that only two of five animals retained this locus in comparison to a total of five out of five transmitters (recombinant PERV-A/C transmission to both human and pig cells) and seven out of seven non-transmitters (replication of non-recombinant PERV in pig cells only).


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that further analysis of these loci may provide a genetic basis for identifying pigs that are less likely to transmit human tropic PERV and would, therefore, be more suitable as source animals for human xenotransplantation.
Hector
Ralph D
RD
Division of Pathological Sciences, Institute of Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Bearsden, Glasgow, UK.
Meikle
Sharon
S
Grant
Louise
L
Wilkinson
Robert A
RA
Fishman
Jay A
JA
Scobie
Linda
L
D000818:Animals; D020077:Endogenous Retroviruses / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015723:Gene Library; D005820:Genetic Testing; D006801:Humans; D011533:Proviruses; D012192:Retroviridae Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D013552:Swine / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D013556:Swine, Miniature / Q000235:genetics* / Q000821:virology*; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D014779:Virus Replication