Rat Coronavirus

Susceptibility of rodent cell lines to rat coronaviruses and differential enhancement by trypsin or DEAE-dextran

“…DEAE-D also enhances infection of cells with MHV-3 [19], although the mechanism is unknown. Studies of binding and internalization with M H V -J H M have shown, however, that several rat cell lines share a common deficiency at the level of virus internalization [7]. D E A E -D may act by enhancing RCV binding to LBC and RBL-02 cells, thereby facilitating viral entry into cells that otherwise support RCV growth.…”

“…Rat coronaviruses (RCVs), notably sialodacryoadenitis virus (SDAV) and Parker's rat coronavirus (PRCV), infect laboratory rats at high prevalence, cause clinically and economically significant disease and interfere with research using rats [7]. Diagnostic and experimental studies of RCVs have been limited by the lack of a reliable cell line in which to grow the viruses [7].…”

“…RCVs have traditionally been grown in primary rat kidney (PRK) cells or infant mouse brain but these techniques require the use of animals and are labor intensive. Although many coronaviruses have fastidious growth requirements, replicating only in organ cultures or cell lines derived from the animal or tissue of origin, cell lines supporting growth of most coronaviruses have been identified [5,7]. Attempts to grow SDAV in a variety of rodent cell lines, including mouse neuroblastoma (clone N18) cells, C6 rat glial cells, and MHV-susceptible cell lines such as NCTC 1469 cells failed (L. E. Garlinghouse and A. L. Smith, unpubl, data).…”

“…Diagnostic and experimental studies of RCVs have been limited by the lack of a reliable cell line in which to grow the viruses [7]. RCVs have traditionally been grown in primary rat kidney (PRK) cells or infant mouse brain but these techniques require the use of animals and are labor intensive.…”

Biology and Diseases of Rats

“…This species contains several distinct serotypes, including murine hepatitis virus and rat coronaviruses. Probably the most important point to be made from a clinical perspective is that neutralizing antibodies to one virus prototype will not offer significant cross protection from the other virus strain, thus allowing viral shedding and recurrence of clinical signs and lesions, albeit diminished (Percy and Barthold, 2007;Jacoby, 1986;Bihun and Percy, 1994;Kojima and Okaniwa, 1991;Weir et al, 1990). In addition to these two coronavirus strains, there are others that have been isolated and found to differ antigenically from either RCV-P or RCV-SDA.…”