Hofmann-Lehmann
Fakultäten » Vetsuisse-Fakultät » Nutztiere, Departement für » Veterinärmedizinisches Labor » Prof. Dr. Regina Hofmann-Lehmann » Hofmann-Lehmann
Completed research project
| Title / Titel | Development of a test to detect Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) provirus integration in feline genomic DNA | ||||||
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| Abstract (PDF, 14 KB) | |||||||
| Summary / Zusammenfassung | Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is a gamma retrovirus that induces fatal diseases in domestic cats. Cat blood samples analyzed for the presence of FeLV provirus (by real-time PCR) and p27 antigen (by ELISA) revealed that a significant portion of cats were p27-negative, but FeLV-provirus positive. This status is characterized by low proviral load and may be associated with latent infection with a consequent danger for the host in case of virus reactivation. Since only integration of the virus can lead to its persistency, it is important to know if the integration really occurred or if only unintegrated forms are detected. However, the designed real-time PCR tests do not discriminate between integrated and unintegrated provirus. Hence, we developed a test that allows us to quickly identify proviral integration. The test uses classical PCR amplification and real-time quantitative PCR combined with virus-specific primers and primers specific for a highly repetitive DNA sequence of the cat genome (SINE, Small Interspersed Nuclear Elements). Using this test, we were able to analyze the time course of the integration of FeLV provirus into the genome of a feline fibroblast cell line (QN10S) and to determine successful integration of FeLV provirus in vivo. The establishment of a fast test that can identify integration of proviral DNA in the host genome will essentially contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of FeLV and will also be very useful in the development of antiretroviral therapies aimed at the inhibition of proviral integration. | ||||||
| Publications / Publikationen | Cattori, V., R. Tandon, A. C. Pepin, H. Lutz, and R. Hofmann-Lehmann. 2006. Rapid detection of feline leukemia virus provirus integration into feline genomic DNA. Mol Cell Probes 20:172-181. | ||||||
| Keywords / Suchbegriffe | Feline leukemia virus, proviral integration, real-time TaqMan PCR | ||||||
| Project leadership and contacts / Projektleitung und Kontakte |
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| Funding source(s) / Unterstützt durch |
SNF (Personen- und Projektförderung) |
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| Duration of Project / Projektdauer | May 2004 to Jun 2005 |