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Discussion on Research Summary: White blood cells may serve as host for the sarcoid virus
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Thursday, Jul 10, 2008 - 10:17 am:
Despite the frequency of sarcoids in horses, how horses contract the disease and how the disease perpetuates in the horse is poorly understood. It seems well established that the bovine pappiloma virus, which causes warts in cows, is responsible. Here may be another piece of the puzzle, though I cannot think how this might help us with prevention or treatment yet.
DrO
J Gen Virol. 2008 Jun;89(Pt 6):1390-5.
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells represent a reservoir of bovine papillomavirus DNA in sarcoid-affected equines.
Brandt S, Haralambus R, Schoster A, Kirnbauer R, Stanek C.
Equine Centre, Veterinary University Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Bovine papillomaviruses of types 1 and 2 (BPV-1 and -2) chiefly contribute to equine sarcoid pathogenesis. However, the mode of virus transmission and the presence of latent infections are largely unknown. This study established a PCR protocol allowing detection of </=10 copies of the BPV-1/-2 genes E5 and L1. Subsequent screening of peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) DNA derived from horses with and without BPV-1/2-induced skin lesions demonstrated the exclusive presence of E5, but not L1, in PBMCs of BPV-1/2-infected equines. To validate this result, a blind PCR was performed from enciphered PBMC DNA derived from 66 horses, revealing E5 in the PBMCs of three individuals with confirmed sarcoids, whereas the remaining 63 sarcoid-free animals were negative for this gene. L1 could not be detected in any PBMC DNA, suggesting either deletion or interruption of this gene in PBMCs of BPV-1/-2-infected equines. These results support the hypothesis that PBMCs may serve as host cells for BPV-1/-2 DNA and contribute to virus latency.
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