Porcine endogenous retroviruses

There have already been clinical trials of porcine hepatocyte-based bioartificial livers [5, 6]. However, we believe these systems to represent temporary and short-lived approaches. Compelling evidence from recent experiments show that primary porcine liver cells express and release endogenous retroviral particles that are able to infect human cells. However, long term in vivo investigations of patients previously exposed to porcine tissues over a period of 12 year did not show any porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV) viremia [7]. Therefore, we consider the further pursuit of porcine bioartificial livers the only solution at present with regard to the cell source. However, as an intermediate term alternative human cell sources are in development [8]. Expansion technologies for human fetal cells may contribute to resolve these limitations in the future. 

PCR polymerase chain reaction PERV porcine endogenous retrovirus SCID severe combined immunodeficiency... 

Poly(lactide-co-glycolide), for peptide Porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV) 369... 

Luc J. W. van der Laan, Christopher Lockey, Bradley C. Giiffeth, Francine S. Frasier, Carolyn A. Wilson, David E. Onions, Bernard J. Heiing, Zhifeng Long, Edward Otto, Bruce E. Torbett and Daniel R. Salomon, Infection by porcine endogenous retrovirus after islet xenotransplantation in SCID mice. Nature, 207 (2000), 90-94. 

Yang, B.L. et al (2015) Genome-wide inactivation of porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs). Science, 350, 1101-1104. 

Ritzhaupt, A., Van der Laan, L.J.W., Salomon, D.R., Wilson, C.A., 2002. Porcine endogenous retrovirus infects but does not replicate in nonhuman primate primary cells and cell lines. J. Virol. 11312-11320. 

Scobie, L., Takeuchi, Y, 2009. Porcine endogenous retrovirus and other viruses in xenotransplantation. Curr. Opin. Organ Transplant. 14 (2), 175-179. 

Specke, V., Rubant, S., Denner, J., 2001. Productive infection of human primary cells and cell lines with porcine endogenous retroviruses. Virology 285, 177-180. 

Wilson, C.A., 2008. Porcine endogenous retroviruses and xenotransplantation. Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 65, 3399-3412. 

Yudin, A., Aitnazarov, R.B., Ermolaev, VI., 2011. Porcine endogenous retroviruses what are the risks of infection transmission in xenotransplantation Russ. J. Genet. Appl. Res. 1 (6), 532-539. 

As news that the porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV) could infect human cells surfaced in the 1990 s, xenotransplantation fell under a cloud of public suspicion and fear that has not yet fully lifted. Because of the potential for a xenozoonotic outbreak to spread rapidly across the world, there is an international dialog taking place among countries such as Canada, Sweden, Spain, France, and the United States about the safeguards that should be associated with xenotransplantation research. 

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