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Assessment of Porcine Endogenous Retrovirus Infectivity to Human Cells Using Flowcytometric Isolation After
Hiroto Miura1, Haruka Uryu1, Shodai Ishikawa1
1Laboratory of Animal Science, Department of Applied Biological Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Setsunan University, Osaka, Japan.
Xenotransplantation
|September 15, 2025
Summary
A new co-culture method enhances assessment of porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV) infectivity in xenotransplantation. This technique identifies high-risk pigs, improving the safety of using them as organ donors.
Area of Science:
- Xenotransplantation
- Virology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Xenotransplantation using pigs offers a solution to organ shortages.
- Porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV) poses a microbiological risk in xenotransplantation.
- Accurate PERV risk assessment is crucial for clinical xenotransplantation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an improved in vitro method for evaluating PERV infectivity.
- To simulate in vivo xenotransplantation conditions for better PERV risk assessment.
- To identify factors influencing PERV transmission from porcine to human cells.
Main Methods:
- Developed a novel co-culture system for porcine and human cells.
- Utilized flow cytometry for specific isolation of human cells.
- Simulated direct cell-to-cell contact without treatments affecting viral replication.
Main Results:
- Identified contact duration, porcine cell number, and PERV mRNA levels as factors affecting infectivity.
- Demonstrated PERV infection of human cells can occur within 24 hours with high-risk porcine cells.
- Highlighted limitations of conventional co-culture methods in detecting early PERV transmission.
Conclusions:
- Emphasized the critical need for selecting donor pigs with lower PERV risk.
- The new co-culture method aids in testing and selecting pigs with reduced PERV infectivity.
- This approach enhances microbiological safety for xenotransplantation applications.
