Bofill-Mas Sílvia, Clemente-Casares Pilar, Major Eugene O, Curfman Blanche, Girones Rosina
Department of Microbiology, School of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
J Neurovirol. 2003 Aug;9(4):498-507. doi: 10.1080/13550280390218887.
JC virus (JCV) particles have been detected in urban sewage of divergent geographical areas. In this study, the authors evaluate the genetic characteristics and the infective capabilities of JCV strains in relation to the potential oral transmission of JCV in the population. JCV strains excreted in urine and detected in sewage have been described as presenting archetypal structure of the regulatory region of the viral genome. The regulatory region of JCV viral particles detected in two urban sewage samples have been cloned and characterized. From a total of 40 clones tested, 39 presented archetypal-like regulatory regions, whereas 1 of the clones analyzed presented a tandem repeated structure. Archetypal strains present in the urine of a pregnant woman were able to infect SVG cells, producing infectious virions, as demonstrated by confirmative cell culture, electron microscopy, and in situ DNA hybridization. This is the first description of archetypal JCV productive infection of SVG cells. SVG cells were also successfully infected with Mad-4 JCV viral particles subjected to pH 3 for 1 h at 37 degrees C and to 10 microg/ml of trypsin in the same conditions. A decrease in the viral progeny production was observed when Mad-4 was subjected to acidic pH. Mad-4 did not produce any detectable infection in the enteric cell line CaCo-2. The oral route could represent a significant route of transmission of JCV infections because JCV virions have demonstrated relative resistance in the environment and to some of the conditions present in the gastrointestinal tract. The archetypal strains commonly detected in the environment may be implicated in the transmission of JCV among the population. Sporadic infection with strains presenting tandem repeated structures may have implications in pathogenicity.
在不同地理区域的城市污水中已检测到JC病毒（JCV）颗粒。在本研究中，作者评估了JCV毒株的遗传特征和感染能力，以及其在人群中潜在的经口传播情况。尿液中排出并在污水中检测到的JCV毒株被描述为具有病毒基因组调控区的原型结构。对在两个城市污水样本中检测到的JCV病毒颗粒的调控区进行了克隆和表征。在总共测试的40个克隆中，39个呈现出原型样调控区，而分析的1个克隆呈现出串联重复结构。通过确证性细胞培养、电子显微镜和原位DNA杂交证明，一名孕妇尿液中存在的原型毒株能够感染SVG细胞，产生感染性病毒粒子。这是对SVG细胞进行原型JCV生产性感染的首次描述。SVG细胞也成功地被在37℃下于pH 3处理1小时并在相同条件下于10μg/ml胰蛋白酶中处理的Mad - 4 JCV病毒颗粒感染。当Mad - 4处于酸性pH条件下时，观察到病毒子代产量下降。Mad - 4在肠道细胞系CaCo - 2中未产生任何可检测到的感染。经口途径可能是JCV感染的重要传播途径，因为JCV病毒粒子已证明在环境中以及在胃肠道存在的某些条件下具有相对抗性。在环境中常见检测到的原型毒株可能与JCV在人群中的传播有关。具有串联重复结构的毒株的散发性感染可能对致病性有影响。
