Molecular characterization of the L1 gene of papillomaviruses in epithelial lesions of cats and comparative analysis with corresponding gene sequences of human and feline papillomaviruses.
OBJECTIVE
To characterize the L1 gene of papillomaviruses detected in epithelial lesions of cats and to determine the relationship between those L1 gene nucleotide sequences and known L1 gene sequences of human and feline papillomaviruses.


METHODS
10 tissue samples of epithelial lesions from 8 cats.


METHODS
DNA was extracted from tissue samples. Primers were designed to amplify the L1 gene of papillomaviruses. Amplicons of DNA were sequenced; nucleotide sequences were compared with known L1 gene nucleotide sequences of papillomaviruses and used for phylogenetic analysis.


RESULTS
Tissue samples were obtained from lesions (diagnosed as dysplasia [n=1], squamous cell carcinoma in situ [3], or squamous cell carcinoma [6]) of the skin (9) and oral mucosa [1]. Two amplicons had 99% homology with the L1 gene nucleotide sequence of human papillomavirus type 38b subtype FA125. Another amplicon had 84% homology with the L1 gene nucleotide sequence of human papillomavirus type 80 and was considered to be a new type of papillomavirus. Phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that these 3 papillomaviruses were grouped into 2 clades that were not similar to the clades of Felis domesticus papillomavirus type 1 or F domesticus papillomavirus type 2 (FdPV2). The remaining 7 amplicons had 98% to 100% homology with the L1 gene nucleotide sequence of FdPV2. Phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that those 7 papillomaviruses were grouped nto a single clade with FdPV2.


CONCLUSIONS
Results support the likelihood of transmission of papillomaviruses between humans and cats.
Department of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA.
Eman A
EA
Anis
Sarah H
SH
O'Neill
Kim M
KM
Newkirk
Rupal A
RA
Brahmbhatt
Mohamed
M
Abd-Eldaim
Linda A
LA
Frank
Stephen A
SA
Kania
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology*; D002415:Cats; D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005784:Gene Amplification; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006801:Humans; D020084:Long Interspersed Nucleotide Elements / Q000235:genetics*; D010212:Papilloma / Q000662:veterinary; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary*; D010802:Phylogeny; D016415:Sequence Alignment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary
D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral