Studies on long-term infection of human cells with Porcine endogenous retrovirus.
A major concern in pig-to-human xenotransplantations is the potential risk of transmission of Porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs) integrated in the pig genome. Our previous work has shown that PERV provirus genes and gag protein can be detected in human embryonic kidney HEK-293 cells during a long-term infection with PERV (Yu et al., Transplant. Proc. 37, 496-499, 2005). In this study, we continued studying the long-term (>6 months) PERV infection of HEK-293 cells. The results showed no significant differences in morphology, growth, apoptosis, and [(3)H]-thymidine incorporation between PERV-infected and uninfected cells. The PERV LTR sequence showed only an insignifcant mutation after the long-term infection. PERV infection had no effect on the transcription of genes of Human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) naturally occurring in HEK-293 cells. Summing up, this study indicated that a long-term PERV infection of HEK-293 cells in vitro does not result in any significant changes in host cells as well as in PERV LTR sequence.
Yu
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P
Laboratory of Cell and Gene Therapy, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041 P.R. China.
Zhang
P
P
Zhang
L
L
Li
S F
SF
Cheng
J Q
JQ
Lu
Y R
YR
Li
Y P
YP
Bu
H
H
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002460:Cell Line; D020077:Endogenous Retroviruses / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D013552:Swine / Q000821:virology*; D020079:Terminal Repeat Sequences; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
D015683:Gene Products, gag