Experimental cross-species infection of donkeys with equine hepacivirus and analysis of host immune signatures.


Journal

One health outlook
ISSN: 2524-4655
Titre abrégé: One Health Outlook
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101769253

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
09 May 2022
Historique:
received: 10 11 2021
accepted: 06 04 2022
entrez: 8 5 2022
pubmed: 9 5 2022
medline: 9 5 2022
Statut: epublish

Résumé

The Equine Hepacivirus (EqHV) is an equine-specific and liver-tropic virus belonging to the diverse genus of Hepaciviruses. It was recently found in a large donkey (Equus asinus) cohort with a similar seroprevalence (30%), but lower rate of RNA-positive animals (0.3%) compared to horses. These rare infection events indicate either a lack of adaptation to the new host or a predominantly acute course of infection. In order to analyze the susceptibility and the course of EqHV infection in donkeys, we inoculated two adult female donkeys and one control horse intravenously with purified EqHV from a naturally infected horse. Liver biopsies were taken before and after inoculation to study changes in the transcriptome. Infection kinetics were similar between the equids. All animals were EqHV PCR-positive from day three. EqHV RNA-levels declined when the animals seroconverted and both donkeys cleared the virus from the blood by week 12. Infection did not have an impact on the clinical findings and no significant histopathological differences were seen. Blood biochemistry revealed a mild increase in GLDH at the time of seroconversion in horses, which was less pronounced in donkeys. Transcriptomic analysis revealed a distinct set of differentially expressed genes, including viral host factors and immune genes. To summarize, our findings indicate that donkeys are a natural host of EqHV, due to the almost identical infection kinetics. The different immune responses do however suggest different mechanisms in reacting to hepaciviral infections.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
The Equine Hepacivirus (EqHV) is an equine-specific and liver-tropic virus belonging to the diverse genus of Hepaciviruses. It was recently found in a large donkey (Equus asinus) cohort with a similar seroprevalence (30%), but lower rate of RNA-positive animals (0.3%) compared to horses. These rare infection events indicate either a lack of adaptation to the new host or a predominantly acute course of infection.
METHODS METHODS
In order to analyze the susceptibility and the course of EqHV infection in donkeys, we inoculated two adult female donkeys and one control horse intravenously with purified EqHV from a naturally infected horse. Liver biopsies were taken before and after inoculation to study changes in the transcriptome.
RESULTS RESULTS
Infection kinetics were similar between the equids. All animals were EqHV PCR-positive from day three. EqHV RNA-levels declined when the animals seroconverted and both donkeys cleared the virus from the blood by week 12. Infection did not have an impact on the clinical findings and no significant histopathological differences were seen. Blood biochemistry revealed a mild increase in GLDH at the time of seroconversion in horses, which was less pronounced in donkeys. Transcriptomic analysis revealed a distinct set of differentially expressed genes, including viral host factors and immune genes.
CONCLUSION CONCLUSIONS
To summarize, our findings indicate that donkeys are a natural host of EqHV, due to the almost identical infection kinetics. The different immune responses do however suggest different mechanisms in reacting to hepaciviral infections.

Identifiants

pubmed: 35527255
doi: 10.1186/s42522-022-00065-y
pii: 10.1186/s42522-022-00065-y
pmc: PMC9082851
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Pagination

9

Subventions

Organisme : Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
ID : 398066876-GRK 2485/1
Organisme : Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
ID : STE1954/6-1

Informations de copyright

© 2022. The Author(s).

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Auteurs

André Gömer (A)

Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany.

Christina Puff (C)

Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany.

Birthe Reinecke (B)

Institute of Experimental Virology, TWINCORE Center for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Hannover, Germany.

Stephanie Bracht (S)

Institute of Experimental Virology, TWINCORE Center for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Hannover, Germany.

Maria Conze (M)

Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany.

Wolfgang Baumgärtner (W)

Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany.

Jörg Steinmann (J)

Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
Institute of Clinical Hygiene, Medical Microbiology and Infectiology, General Hospital Nürnberg, Paracelsus Medical University, Nürnberg, Germany.

Karsten Feige (K)

Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany.

Jessika M V Cavalleri (JMV)

Clinical Unit of Equine Internal Medicine, Department for Companion Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (Vetmeduni), Vienna, Austria.

Eike Steinmann (E)

Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.

Daniel Todt (D)

Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany. daniel.todt@ruhr-uni-bochum.de.
European Virus Bioinformatics Center (EVBC), Jena, Germany. daniel.todt@ruhr-uni-bochum.de.

Classifications MeSH