Ovine progressive pneumonia provirus levels associate with breed and Ovar-DRB1

Previous studies initiated defining the role of host genetics in influencing the outcome of exposure to ovine progressive pneumonia virus. However, specific genes influencing host control of virus replication and disease progression have not been identified. This study, using 383 ewes of the Columbia, Polypay, and Rambouillet breeds, tested the hypothesis that host control of OPPV as measured by provirus levels in the peripheral blood associates with certain breeds and MHC class II Ovis aries (Ovar)-DRB1 expressed alleles. Rambouillet ewes were less likely to have measurable provirus levels as compared to Columbia ewes at ages 5 and 6 (P value < 0.02), and they exhibited lower provirus levels when compared to both Columbia and Polypay ewes of the same ages (P value < 0.05). The presence of DRB1*0403- or DRB1*07012-expressed alleles were significantly associated (P value = 0.019 and 0.0002, respectively) with lower OPP provirus levels but only were only found in 11% of the ewe flock. Analysis of each segregating amino acid in the beta1 domain of DR beta-chain revealed that amino acids Y31, T32, N37, T51, Q60, or N74 significantly associated (P value range = 0.0003-0.018) with lower OPP provirus levels, whereas amino acids H32, A38, or I67 associated (P value range = 0.013-0.043) with higher OPP provirus levels. These results suggest that Ovar-DRB1 contributes as one host genetic factor that controls OPP provirus levels, but does not fully account for the breed-specific OPP proviral differences.