title: Distribution patterns of influenza virus receptors and viral attachment patterns in the respiratory and intestinal tracts of seven avian species.
abstract: This study assessed the presence of sialic acid α-2,3 and α-2,6 linked glycan receptors in seven avian species. The respiratory and intestinal tracts of the chicken, common quail, red-legged partridge, turkey, golden pheasant, ostrich, and mallard were tested by means of lectin histochemistry, using the lectins Maackia amurensis agglutinin II and Sambucus nigra agglutinin, which show affinity for α-2,3 and α-2,6 receptors, respectively. Additionally, the pattern of virus attachment (PVA) was evaluated with virus histochemistry, using an avian-origin H4N5 virus and a human-origin seasonal H1N1 virus. There was a great variation of receptor distribution among the tissues and avian species studied. Both α-2,3 and α-2,6 receptors were present in the respiratory and intestinal tracts of the chicken, common quail, red-legged partridge, turkey, and golden pheasant. In ostriches, the expression of the receptor was basically restricted to α-2,3 in both the respiratory and intestinal tracts and in mallards the α-2,6 receptors were absent from the intestinal tract. The results obtained with the lectin histochemistry were, in general, in agreement with the PVA. The differential expression and distribution of α-2,3 and α-2,6 receptors among various avian species might reflect a potentially decisive factor in the emergence of new viral strains.
authors.affiliation: Departament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain. antonio.ramis@uab.cat.
authors.forename: Taiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Aida J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Chaves
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Valle
authors.forename: Ayub
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Darji
authors.forename: Debby
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: van Riel
authors.forename: Thijs
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kuiken
authors.forename: Natàlia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Majó
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004372:Ducks; D046094:Galliformes; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000502:physiology*; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology; D007422:Intestines / Q000821:virology; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism*; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000821:virology; D013045:Species Specificity; D020310:Struthioniformes; D053585:Virus Attachment
chemical_list: D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; C092488:sialic acid receptor