Detection of chimpanzee polyomavirus-specific antibodies in captive and wild-caught chimpanzees using yeast-expressed virus-like particles

• Published in: Virus research 2011-02, Vol.155 (2), p.514-519
• Main Authors: Zielonka, Anja, Verschoor, Ernst J., Gedvilaite, Alma, Roesler, Uwe, Müller, Hermann, Johne, Reimar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Animals, Wild; antibodies; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Ape Diseases - blood; Ape Diseases - immunology; Capsid Proteins - genetics; Capsid Proteins - immunology; Capsid Proteins - metabolism; Chimpanzee; coat proteins; Cross Reactions - immunology; ELISA; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; erythrocytes; feces; Haemagglutination; humans; immunoblotting; Pan troglodytes; Pan troglodytes - immunology; pathogenicity; polymerase chain reaction; Polyomavirus; Polyomavirus - immunology; Polyomavirus Infections - blood; Polyomavirus Infections - immunology; Polyomavirus Infections - veterinary; Recombinant Fusion Proteins - genetics; Recombinant Fusion Proteins - immunology; Recombinant Fusion Proteins - metabolism; Saccharomyces cerevisiae - genetics; screening; Simian virus 40 - chemistry; Simian virus 40 - immunology; Virion - chemistry; Virion - immunology; Virion - ultrastructure; Virus-like particles; yeasts
• ISSN: 0168-1702; 1872-7492
• DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2010.12.009

Chimpanzee polyomavirus (ChPyV) was originally detected in the faeces of a captive chimpanzee by random screening using broad-spectrum PCR. Its pathogenicity and the distribution among chimpanzees are unknown so far. Here, the major capsid protein VP1 of ChPyV was expressed in yeast cells. Virus-like particles (VLPs) with a diameter of approximately 45 nm were demonstrated although the efficiency of VLP formation was low as compared to monkey polyomavirus SV40-VLPs. The ChPyV-VLP preparation did not agglutinate human erythrocytes. Low cross-reactions between ChPyV- and SV40-VLP-specific sera were detected by immunoblotting, but not by ELISA. Testing of 163 sera derived from captive and wild-caught healthy chimpanzees using an ELISA based on the ChPyV-VLPs resulted in 11.7% positive results, ranging from 0% to 56% in different groups. The VLPs may be used in future to assess the distribution of ChPyV infections among other animal species and humans.