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Histology and histopathology2008; 23(8); 973-978; doi: 10.14670/HH-23.973

Localization of influenza virus sialoreceptors in equine respiratory tract.

Abstract: This study was performed to identify the equine respiratory tract areas which express the specific receptor for equine influenza virus; findings may be useful to provide new ways to treat the infectious disease. The present work aims to visualize in situ the presence of sialoderivatives in the horse respiratory tract in order to localize sialoderivatives acting as influenza virus receptors. To this purpose, nasal mucosae, trachea, bronchus and lung parenchyma were removed from 8 mature horses of both sexes. We performed sialic acid characterization by means of mild and strong periodate oxidation and saponification, combined with lectin histochemistry and sialidase digestion, in addition to the direct evidentiation of sialic acid residues. No differences were shown between sexes. Sialic acid residues are present in the nasal mucous cell secretion, where they are linked to galactose by means of alpha2-3 linkage and are mainly C9 acetylated, and in the nasal and tracheal epithelial lining, where they are represented by periodate labile residues (alpha2-3)- and/or (alpha2-6)- linked to galactose. Specific receptors for equine influenza viruses are present at the nasal and tracheal epithelial lining cell coat levels, and in some trachea epithelial cells, but the horse possesses a preventive defence, which consists of the secretion of a mucous layer at nasal level, which could specifically inactivate the hemagglutinins of equine influenza virus; in addition, it expresses other sialoreceptors which can mask the influenza specific ones.
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Publication Date: 2008-05-24 PubMed ID: 18498072DOI: 10.14670/HH-23.973Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research paper presents a study focused on pinpointing the areas of the equine (horse) respiratory tract that express the specific receptor for the equine influenza virus. The aim is to understand more about how the virus affects horses, which could potentially lead to more effective treatments.

Study’s Purpose

The purpose of the study revolves around identifying and examining the presence of sialoderivatives (the specific receptors for influenza) in the respiratory tract of horses. In the process of understanding how these receptors interact with influenza, the team collected and studied parts of the respiratory tract such as the nasal mucosae, trachea, bronchus, and lung parenchyma from eight mature horses.

  • A key focus was to identify where in the respiratory system the sialic acid residues, the components believed to interact with the influenza virus, are located.
  • The study enlisted several techniques for this, including mild and strong periodate oxidation, saponification, lectin histochemistry, sialidase digestion and also the direct detection of sialic acid residues.

Findings

The results found that no differences occurred between sexes. More crucially:

  • Sialic acid residues were found in the nasal mucus secretion, linked to galactose via an alpha2-3 linkage, and chiefly C9 acetylated.
  • In the nasal and tracheal epithelial lining, sialic acid residues were present as periodate labile residues with alpha2-3 and/or alpha2-6 linkages to galactose.
  • Specific receptors for equine influenza viruses were confirmed to be present at the nasal and tracheal epithelial lining cell coat levels, and in some trachea epithelial cells.

Implications

Understanding the location of these receptors helps to clarify how the equine influenza virus infects horses and where the main sites of infection could be. By showing that specific receptors for equine influenza exist mainly in the nasal and tracheal linings, it also suggests that horses might have a defence system that prevents infection:

  • A mucous layer in the nasal region might be capable of inactivating the hemagglutinins of the equine influenza virus.
  • The presence of other sialoreceptors which can mask the influenza-specific ones could also serve as another layer of defence.

These observations could pave the way for the development of new intervention strategies to effectively treat equine influenza.

Cite This Article

APA
Scocco P, Pedini V. (2008). Localization of influenza virus sialoreceptors in equine respiratory tract. Histol Histopathol, 23(8), 973-978. https://doi.org/10.14670/HH-23.973

Publication

Histology and histopathology
ISSN: 1699-5848
NlmUniqueID: 8609357
Country: Spain
Language: English
Volume: 23
Issue: 8
Pages: 973-978

Researcher Affiliations

Scocco, Paola
  • Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Camerino, Matelica (MC), Italy. paola.scocco@unicam.it
Pedini, Vera

    MeSH Terms

    • Animals
    • Female
    • Horse Diseases
    • Horses
    • Immunoenzyme Techniques
    • Influenza A Virus, H3N8 Subtype / isolation & purification
    • Influenza A Virus, H3N8 Subtype / metabolism
    • Lectins / metabolism
    • Male
    • N-Acetylneuraminic Acid / metabolism
    • Orthomyxoviridae Infections / virology
    • Receptors, Cell Surface / metabolism
    • Receptors, Virus / metabolism
    • Respiratory Tract Infections / virology

    Citations

    This article has been cited 12 times.
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