Detection of BLV Proviral DNA in Korean Native Goats Experimentally Infected with Bovine Leukemia Virus by Polymerase Chain Reaction

ABSTRACT

PCR implication using the primers for gag, pol and rev genes in BLV (bovine leukemia virus) proviral DNA and syncytium assay were carried out for the Korean native goats experimentally infected with bovine leukemia virus to investigate pathogenesis of BLV in the goats, and to establish a model animal for BLV infection. The oligonucleotide primers used in PCR revealed very high specificity, The minimal amount of FLK-BLV cellular chromosomal DNA to detect the integrated BLV proviral DNA was 10 ng. The peripheral blood lymphocytes from the goat infected with BLV were examined at regular intervals by PCR amplification and syncytium assay. Pol or gag genes were detected in none of three infected goats at the 1st week post-infection (p.i.). At the 4th week p.i., one of three goats showed the amplified gag gene. Thereafter detection rates for the genes were increased, indicating that the BLV proviral genes were integrated in all of the lymphocytes from three goats, at the 16th weeks p.i., when it was evident in syncytium assay that the lymphocytes from all of three goats were infested with infective BLV. Investigating the tissues from the necropsied goats at the 8th month p.i., the amplified BLV proviral genes and infective BLV were detected in all of the peripheral lymphocytes from three infected-goats. Among various tissues examined, the amplified BLV proviral genes were observed in spleen and superficial cervical, mandibular and retropharyngeal lymph nodes, and the infective BLV, in superficial cervical and mandibular lymph nodes. It was assumed that the Korean native goat was quite susceptible to BLV infection, indicating that the goat could be a good model animal for BLV.