Abstract
Porcine lymphotropic herpesviruses -1, -2 and -3 (PLHV-1, PLHV-2 and PLHV-3) are gammaherpesviruses which are widespread in pigs. They are closely related to the Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) and Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus, both of which cause severe diseases in humans. PLHVs are also related to bovine and ovine gammaherpesviruses, which are apathogenic in the natural host, but cause severe diseases after transmission into other species. Until now, no association between PLHVs and any pig diseases had been described. However, PLHV-1 causes a post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) after experimental transplantations in minipigs. This disorder is similar to human PTLD, a serious complication of solid human organ transplantation linked to EBV. Xenotransplantation using pig cells, tissues and organs is under development in order to alleviate the shortage of human transplants. Meanwhile, remarkable survival times of pig xenotransplants in non-human primates have been achieved. In these preclinical trials, another pig herpesvirus, the porcine cytomegalovirus (PCMV), a roseolovirus, was shown to significantly reduce the survival time of pig xenotransplants in baboons and other non-human primates. Although PLHV-1 was found in genetically modified donor pigs used in preclinical xenotransplantation, it was, in contrast to PCMV, not transmitted to the recipient. Nevertheless, it seems important to use PLHV-free donor pigs in order to achieve safe xenotransplantation.
Highlights
Porcine lymphotropic herpesviruses -1, -2 and -3 (PLHV-1, PLHV-2 and PLHV-3) are gammaherpesviruses which are widespread in pigs
PLHV-1 was found in genetically modified donor pigs used in preclinical xenotransplantation, it was, in contrast to porcine cytomegalovirus (PCMV), not transmitted to the recipient
Porcine lymphotropic herpesviruses -1, -2, and -3 (PLHV-1, PLHV-2, and PLHV-3), known as SuHV-3, SuHV-4, and SuHV-5, are gammaherpesviruses assigned to the genus Macavirus
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Transmission of PCMV/PRV reduced the survival time of pig kidneys, on average, from 53 days to 14 days in baboons [12], from 28 to 9 days in cynomolgus monkeys [13] and reduced the survival of orthotopically transplanted pig hearts in baboons from 195 days to less than 30 days [14] These studies showed for the first time that PCMV/PRV is obviously able to decrease the survival time of the pig transplant without infecting the host, modulating cytokine release and coagulation by interactions with the immune system and endothelial cells [14]. These data show that the transmission of potentially zoonotic viruses from the donor pig to the recipient, and in the near future to human patients, may pose a significant risk for the recipient and donor animals without zoonotic viruses, including herpesviruses, should be used
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