Peripheral blood mononuclear cells represent a reservoir of bovine papillomavirus DNA in sarcoid-affected equines
Brandt, Sabine and Haralambus, Rhea and Schoster, Angelika and Kirnbauer, Reinhard and Stanek, Christian,, 89, 1390-1395 (2008),
doi = https://doi.org/10.1099/vir.0.83568-0,
publicationName = Microbiology Society,
issn = 0022-1317,
abstract= 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.,
language=,
type=