title: Absence of infection in pigs inoculated with high-titre recombinant PERV-A/C.
abstract: Porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs) represent a risk for xenotransplantation using pig cells or organs since they are integrated in the genome of all pigs and infect human cells in vitro. Recombinants between PERV-A and PERV-C have been described in pigs in vivo and found de novo integrated in the genome of somatic cells, but not in the germ line. To study whether PERV-A/C can infect and have a pathogenic effect in normal pigs, German landrace pigs were inoculated with high-titre PERV-A/C. No provirus integration was found in blood cells or in various tissues, and no antibody production was observed, indicating the absence of infection.
authors.affiliation: Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kaulitz
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mihica
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Plesker
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Geissler
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Tönjes
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Denner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020077:Endogenous Retroviruses / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D011533:Proviruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D012192:Retroviridae Infections / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D016662:Virus Integration