title: Precision-cut intestinal slices as a culture system to analyze the infection of differentiated intestinal epithelial cells by avian influenza viruses.
abstract: Many viruses infect and replicate in their host via the intestinal tract, e.g. many picornaviruses, several coronaviruses and avian influenza viruses of waterfowl. To analyze infection of enterocytes is a challenging task as culture systems for differentiated intestinal epithelial cells are not readily available and often have a life span that is too short for infection studies. Precision-cut intestinal slices (PCIS) from chicken embryos were prepared and shown that the epithelial cells lining the lumen of the intestine are viable for up to 4 days. Using lectin staining, it was demonstrated that α2,3-linked sialic acids, the preferred receptor determinants of avian influenza viruses, are present on the apical side of the epithelial cells. Furthermore, the epithelial cells (at the tips) of the villi were shown to be susceptible to infection by an avian influenza virus of the H9N2 subtype. This culture system will be useful to analyze virus infection of intestinal epithelial cells and it should be applicable also to the intestine of other species.
authors.affiliation: Immunology and Virology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mahanakorn University of Technology, Bangkok, Thailand. Electronic address: Darsaniya_p@yahoo.de.
authors.forename: Darsaniya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Punyadarsaniya
authors.affiliation: Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany. Electronic address: Christine.Winter@tiho-hannover.de.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Winter
authors.affiliation: Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany. Electronic address: Ann-Kathrin.Mork@tiho-hannover.de.
authors.forename: Ann-Kathrin
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Mork
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany. Electronic address: Mahdi.Amiri@tiho-hannover.de.
authors.forename: Mahdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amiri
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany. Electronic address: Hassan.Naim@tiho-hannover.de.
authors.forename: Hassan Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Naim
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Poultry, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany. Electronic address: Silke.Rautenschlein@tiho-hannover.de.
authors.forename: Silke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rautenschlein
authors.affiliation: Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany. Electronic address: Georg.Herrler@tiho-hannover.de.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Herrler
mesh_terms: D032761:Animal Experimentation; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000821:virology*; D053127:Influenza A Virus, H9N2 Subtype / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000473:pathology*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000821:virology*
keywords: Avian influenza virus; Intestinal epithelium; Precision-cut intestinal slice