The Microminipig as an Animal Model for Influenza A Virus Infection.
Pigs are considered a mixing vessel for the generation of novel pandemic influenza A viruses through reassortment because of their susceptibility to both avian and human influenza viruses. However, experiments to understand reassortment in pigs in detail have been limited because experiments with regular-sized pigs are difficult to perform. Miniature pigs have been used as an experimental animal model, but they are still large and require relatively large cages for housing. The microminipig is one of the smallest miniature pigs used for experiments. Introduced in 2010, microminipigs weigh around 10 kg at an early stage of maturity (6 to 7 months old) and are easy to handle. To evaluate the microminipig as an animal model for influenza A virus infection, we compared the receptor distribution of 10-week-old male pigs (Yorkshire Large White) and microminipigs. We found that both animals have SAα2,3Gal and SAα2,6Gal in their respiratory tracts, with similar distributions of both receptor types. We further found that the sensitivity of microminipigs to influenza A viruses was the same as that of larger miniature pigs. Our findings indicate that the microminipig could serve as a novel model animal for influenza A virus infection.


OBJECTIVE
The microminipig is one of the smallest miniature pigs in the world and is used as an experimental animal model for life science research. In this study, we evaluated the microminipig as a novel animal model for influenza A virus infection. The distribution of influenza virus receptors in the respiratory tract of the microminipig was similar to that of the pig, and the sensitivity of microminipigs to influenza A viruses was the same as that of miniature pigs. Our findings suggest that microminipigs represent a novel animal model for influenza A virus infection.
Division of Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Kiyoko
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8266-020X
K
Iwatsuki-Horimoto
Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan.
Noriko
N
Nakajima
Swine and Poultry Research Center, Shizuoka Prefectural Research Institute of Animal Industry, Kikugawa, Shizuoka, Japan.
Masatoshi
M
Shibata
Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan.
Kenta
K
Takahashi
Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan.
Yuko
Y
Sato
Division of Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Maki
M
Kiso
Division of Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Seiya
S
Yamayoshi
Division of Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Mutsumi
M
Ito
Swine and Poultry Research Center, Shizuoka Prefectural Research Institute of Animal Industry, Kikugawa, Shizuoka, Japan.
Satoko
S
Enya
Swine and Poultry Research Center, Shizuoka Prefectural Research Institute of Animal Industry, Kikugawa, Shizuoka, Japan.
Masayoshi
M
Otake
Swine and Poultry Research Center, Shizuoka Prefectural Research Institute of Animal Industry, Kikugawa, Shizuoka, Japan.
Akihisa
A
Kangawa
Influenza Research Institute, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
Tiago Jose
TJ
da Silva Lopes
Ito Business Planning, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan.
Hirotaka
H
Ito
Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan.
Hideki
H
Hasegawa
Division of Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan kawaoka@ims.u-tokyo.ac.jp.|Influenza Research Institute, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.|Department of Special Pathogens, International Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Yoshihiro
Y
Kawaoka
D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000821:virology*; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000821:virology; D013556:Swine, Miniature; D014779:Virus Replication
D015415:Biomarkers; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid
animal models; influenza; microminipig