title: Quantitative analysis of porcine endogenous retroviruses in different organs of transgenic pigs generated for xenotransplantation.
abstract: The pig appears to be the most promising animal donor of organs for use in human recipients. Among several types of pathogens found in pigs, one of the greatest problems is presented by porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs). Screening of the source pig herd for PERVs should include analysis of both PERV DNA and RNA. Therefore, the present study focuses on quantitative analysis of PERVs in different organs such as the skin, heart, muscle, and liver and blood of transgenic pigs generated for xenotransplantation. Transgenic pigs were developed to express the human α-galactosidase, the human α-1,2-fucosyltransferase gene, or both genetic modifications of the genome (Lipinski et al., Medycyna Wet 66:316-322, 2010; Lipinski et al., Ann Anim Sci 12:349-356, 2012; Wieczorek et al., Medycyna Wet 67:462-466, 2011). The copy numbers of PERV DNA and RNA were evaluated using real-time Q-PCR and QRT-PCR, respectively. Comparative analysis of all PERV subtypes revealed the following relationships: PERV A > PERV B > PERV C. PERV A and B were found in all samples, whereas PERV C was detected in 47 % of the tested animals. The lowest level of PERV DNA was shown in the muscles for PERV A and B and in blood samples for PERV C. The lowest level of PERV A RNA was found in the skin, whereas those of PERV B and C RNA were found in liver specimens. Quantitative analysis revealed differences in the copy number of PERV subtypes between various organs of transgenic pigs generated for xenotransplantation. Our data support the idea that careful pig selection for organ donation with low PERV copy number may limit the risk of retrovirus transmission to the human recipients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Medical University of Silesia, Narcyzow 1, Sosnowiec, Poland.
authors.forename: Urszula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Mazurek
authors.forename: Magdalena C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Kimsa
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Strzalka-Mrozik
authors.forename: Malgorzata W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Kimsa
authors.forename: Jolanta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Adamska
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lipinski
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zeyland
authors.forename: Marlena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szalata
authors.forename: Ryszard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Slomski
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jura
authors.forename: Zdzislaw
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Smorag
authors.forename: Roman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nowak
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gola
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified / Q000821:virology*; D001769:Blood / Q000821:virology*; D020077:Endogenous Retroviruses / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018628:Gene Dosage; D006321:Heart / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000821:virology*; D009132:Muscles / Q000821:virology*; D012867:Skin / Q000821:virology*; D013552:Swine / Q000821:virology*; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D014764:Viral Proteins