Molecular investigation of allelic variants of EqCXCL16 gene in equine arteritis virus infected stallions of selected horse breeds in Poland.

The research explores the correlation between specific gene variants in horses and long-term infection with the Equine Arteritis Virus (EAV). The study found that certain susceptible variants of the EqCXCL16 gene were more prevalent in EAV-infected stallions of some horse breeds than others.

Objective and Methods of the Study

• The primary objective of the study was to find a link between the EqCXCL16 gene alleles and susceptibility to a persistent infection with the Equine Arteritis Virus (EAV) in stallions.
• To this end, the EqCXCL16 gene alleles in 63 EAV shedders and 126 non-shedders, encompassing various horse breeds, were identified and compared.
• Detection of the gene alleles was accomplished using real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction) and Sanger sequencing, both of which are standard techniques for amplifying and sequencing DNA.

Key Findings

• Out of the 189 stallions tested, 60 (or 31.7%) were identified as carriers of susceptible variants of the EqCXCL16 gene.
• These susceptible variants were observed to be breed-specific, with the highest frequency found among horses of the Wielkopolska breed, the Polish coldblood, and the Silesian breed.
• A strong correlation was noted between the presence of these susceptible genotypes and EAV shedding in the semen of the stallions (p < .0001), providing evidence of a genetic predisposition to EAV infection.

Significance and Implications

• The study suggests a genetic component to the susceptibility of EAV infection, opening up potential new avenues for predicting and managing the disease in horse populations.
• The breed-specific nature of the susceptible gene variants could have implications for breeding programs, disease control, and epidemiological studies, particularly for the breeds identified as most susceptible.
• Further research could focus on the investigation of such gene-disease correlations in other animal species, or the development of genetic tests for EAV susceptibility in horses.