No evidence for PERV release by islet cells from German landrace pigs.

Background: Islet cells from pig could be used as an alternative to the current treatment of diabetic patients. However, xenotransplantation from pig to humans may be associated with the risk of transmission of porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs) that are present in the genome of all pigs and infect human cells in vitro. Although transplantation of pig islet cells for treatment of diabetes may be not accompanied by immunosuppression that may facilitate virus survival, since islets will be used encapsulated, it is nevertheless of importance to study whether islet cells release PERVs able to infect human cells during co-incubation.

Porcine endogenous retroviruses PERV-A and PERV-B infect neither mouse cells in vitro nor SCID mice in vivo.

Objective: Porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs) pose a risk for xenotransplantations using pig materials as they are present in the genome of all pigs and are able to infect human cells in vitro. Until recently, transmission of PERVs in vivo was only described in severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) and nude mice inoculated with PERV-producing cells. However, in this series of experiments microchimerism could not be excluded.