Qualitative and quantitative analyses of influenza virus receptors in trachea and lung tissues of humans, mice, chickens and ducks

• Published in: Science China. Life sciences 2012-07, Vol.55 (7), p.612-617
• Main Authors: Wang, BaoLin, Liu, Bo, Chen, Ling, Zhang, JianYong, He, HongXuan, Zhang, Hong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Chickens; Ducks; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Humans; Immunofluorescence; Influenza; Influenza virus; Lectins; Life Sciences; Lung; Lung - metabolism; Mice; Orthomyxoviridae - metabolism; Receptors, Virus - metabolism; Research Paper; Trachea; Trachea - metabolism; 半乳糖苷酶; 定量分析; 小鼠; 气管; 流感病毒; 病毒受体; 肺组织; 鸡
• ISSN: 1674-7305; 1869-1889
• DOI: 10.1007/s11427-012-4341-8

To accurately determine the expression and distribution patterns of two infuenza virus receptors （SAa2,3-gal and SAa2,6-gal） in trachea and lung tissues of humans, mice, chickens and ducks, we analyzed lectin immunofluorescence stainings of various tissue sections qualitatively and quantitatively. Results from the qualitative analysis showed that both influenza virus receptors were expressed in lung tissues of humans, mice, chickens and ducks as well as trachea tissues of mice and ducks. However, SAa2,6-gal receptor was expressed only in the human trachea tissue and SAa2,3-gal receptor was expressed only in the chicken trachea tissue. Results from the quantitative analysis demonstrated that both receptors were expressed in trachea tis- sues of human and mouse, as well as in lung tissues of humans, chickens and ducks. Meanwhile, our results also showed that the expression and distribution of influenza virus receptors in the same tissue were not always uniform, indicating that their distribution and expression in various tissues are not simply the distinction between the presence or absence of receptors, but rather the difference in the amount of expressed receptors.