Bovine Papillomavirus Type 1 DNA and E5 Oncoprotein Expression in Water Buffalo Fibropapillomas

Abstract

Abstract. Papillomas and fibropapillomas may occur in the skin and in different organs in animals. Ten different genotypes of bovine papillomavirus (BPV) have been identified. BPV-1 through BPV-10 are all strictly species-specific, but BPV-1/2 may also infect other species such as equids, inducing fibroblastic tumors. BPV-1 and BPV-2 are associated with fibropapillomas in cattle; these tumors are formed by excessive proliferation of virus-infected dermal fibroblasts and epidermal keratinocytes. Nine water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) were examined for the presence of multiple cutaneous and perivulvar tumors. Cutaneous and perivulvar fibropapillomatosis were confirmed histologically. Negative-stain transmission electron microscopic examination revealed papillomavirus-like particles in the fibropapillomas, and papillomaviral DNA was also detected by the polymerase chain reaction. The amplified long control region (LCR) DNA sequence was identical to that of BPV-1. The BPV-1 E5 oncoprotein was strongly expressed in the tumor cells thus confirming a causal role of the virus. This article represents the first report of cutaneous, perivulvar, and vulvar fibropapilloma associated with BPV-1 infection in the water buffalo and describes another example of cross-species infection by BPV-1.

Papilomatosis bovina: epidemiología y diversidad de papilomavirus bovinos (BPV)

“…Polonia, Reino Unido, Canadá y USA, aunque sólo asociados a sarcoides equinos (Carr et al, 2001;Chambers et al, 2003;Haralambus et al, 2009;Szczerba-Turek et al, 2010;Wobeser et al, 2010;Brandt et al, 2011). Igualmente los tipos 1 y 2 han sido detectados en papilomas cutáneos y digestivos en búfalos y yaks en la India (Silvestre et al, 2009;Pangty et al, 2010;Somvanshi et al, 2012) y en sarcoides equinos y fibropapilomas observados en cebras, jirafas y antílopes en Sudáfrica (van Dyk et al, 2009(van Dyk et al, y 2011.…”

“…Dentro del grupo de los artiodáctilos, los papilomavirus bovinos de tipo 1 y 2 se han aislado en fibropapilomas cutáneos y vulvares en búfalos de agua (Bubalus bubalis) (Silvestre et al, 2009;Pangty et al, 2010) y en yaks (Bos mutus) (Genbank, acc. HE603637 a HE603640; no publicado), ambos en la India.…”

Pathology and immunohistochemistry of papillomavirus-associated cutaneous lesions in Cape mountain zebra, giraffe, sable antelope and African buffalo in South Africa

“…BPV types 1 and/or 2 or closely homologous genetic variants especially of BPV type 1 have also been causatively associated with papillomatous, fibropapillomatous to sarcoidlike lesions in various other species. These include BPV-1 in a captive Burchell's zebra (Equus burchelli boehmi) 11 , both BPV types 1 and 2 in 2 inbred populations of Cape mountain zebra 12,14,15,27 , BPV in horses 2,8 , donkeys 18 , domestic shorthaired cats 20 , water buffalo 22 and llamas and alpacas 21 . BPV 2 was revealed in the stratum granulosum of papillomatous lesions on the muzzle and distal limbs of Patagonian Merino sheep.…”

“…Each species in which BPV is associated with cutaneous lesions appears to have its own distinct sarcoid-specific variants when BPV DNA is sequenced 2,20,21 , the exception being the recently reported water buffalo with multiple cutaneous and perivulvar fibropapillomas, where the long control region DNA sequence was identical to that of BPV-1, and in which viral particles were also produced 22 . This publication describes and illustrates the macroscopic and histological appearance of BPV-associated papillomatous, fibropapillomatous or sarcoid-like lesions in an outbreak in inbred Cape mountain zebra (Equus zebra zebra) from the Gariep Dam Nature Reserve, 2 giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) and an African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) from the Kruger National Park, and a sable antelope (Hippotragus niger) from the Kimberley area of South Africa.…”

Human papillomavirus research: Do we still need animal models?

“…Although this is so for all animal PVs aforementioned, we will focus specifically on new facets of BPV infection and pathogenesis which have come to light, or have been confirmed recently in bovids and equids. 6,7 These are as follows: the association of BPV with lymphoepithelial, vascular and other mesenchymal tumors in cattle 8 ; cross-species infection by BPV in equids with induction of sarcoids, 7 and in buffalo and bison with induction of warts 9,10 ; elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of the oncoprotein E5 in vivo 11,12 ; the presence and expression of BPV DNA in blood cells of both cattle and horses and its possible role in virus transmission and spreading 13,14 ; and the association of BPV and inflammation. 15 Do these observations point to new opportunities in HPV research?…”