title: Cells infected with Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus are detected in the bone marrow of asymptomatic sheep.
abstract: Ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma (OPA) is a transmissible lung cancer caused by Jaggsiekte sheep retrovirus (JSRV). It is difficult to identify animals infected with JSRV but are clinically healthy. The virus does not induce a specific antibody response and, although proviral DNA sequences of JSRV can be found in mononuclear blood cells, the detection is inconsistent. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of JSRV in the bone marrow of infected sheep and develop a more consistent screening method. Immunohistochemical examination of bone marrow samples from 8 asymptomatic JSRV-infected sheep revealed the presence of positively labelled cells. However, JSRV could not be detected by a highly sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in bone marrow aspirates periodically collected from these animals. Results suggest that JSRV-infected cells may be present in the bone marrow of symptomless animals, but the number is below the detectable level for PCR. Therefore, this technique does not seem to be helpful for preclinical diagnosis of OPA.
authors: Departamento de Patología Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Miguel Servet 177, 50013-Zaragoza, Spain.
authors: Marta
authors: M
authors: Borobia
authors: Departamento de Patología Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Miguel Servet 177, 50013-Zaragoza, Spain.
authors: Aurora
authors: A
authors: Ortín
authors: Departamento de Patología Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Miguel Servet 177, 50013-Zaragoza, Spain.
authors: Luis M
authors: LM
authors: Ferrer
authors: Departamento de Patología Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Miguel Servet 177, 50013-Zaragoza, Spain.
authors: Juán J
authors: JJ
authors: Ramos
authors: Departamento de Patología Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Miguel Servet 177, 50013-Zaragoza, Spain.
authors: Delia
authors: D
authors: Lacasta
authors: Departamento de Patología Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Miguel Servet 177, 50013-Zaragoza, Spain.
authors: Marcelo
authors: M
authors: De Las Heras
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000821:virology*; D022141:Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D011648:Pulmonary Adenomatosis, Ovine / Q000821:virology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012756:Sheep; D017735:Virus Latency