Microbiological characterization of a newly established pig breed, Aachen Minipigs

Plotzki, Elena; Heinrichs, Gerd; Kubíčková, Barbara; Ulrich, Rainer G.; Denner, Joachim

doi:10.1111/xen.12233

Cited by 25 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…PERV-Cs were found in both Göttingen and Aachen minipigs. Whereas in Göttingen minipigs from Ellegaard no recombinant PERV-A/Cs were found [13], in some Aachen minipigs PERV-A/C was found in the liver and spleen, but not in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) [29]. In contrast, PERV-A/Cs were found in PBMCs from some Göttingen minipigs bred at the Göttingen university with a high expression of PERVpol and PERV-C [30].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Copy Number and Prevalence of Porcine Endogenous Retroviruses (PERVs) in German Wild Boars

Krüger

Stillfried

Prinz

et al. 2020

Viruses

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Porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs) are integrated in the genome of pigs and are transmitted like cellular genes from parents to the offspring. Whereas PERV-A and PERV-B are present in all pigs, PERV-C was found to be in many, but not all pigs. When PERV-C is present, recombination with PERV-A may happen and the PERV-A/C recombinants are characterized by a high replication rate. Until now, nothing has been known about the copy number of PERVs in wild boars and little is known about the prevalence of the phylogenetically youngest PERV-C in ancient wild boars. Here we investigated for the first time the copy number of PERVs in different populations of wild boars in and around Berlin using droplet digital PCR. Copy numbers between 3 and 69 per genome have been measured. A lower number but a higher variability was found compared to domestic pigs, including minipigs reported earlier (Fiebig et al., Xenotransplantation, 2018). The wild boar populations differed genetically and had been isolated during the existence of the Berlin wall. Despite this, the variations in copy number were larger in a single population compared to the differences between the populations. PERV-C was found in all 92 analyzed animals. Differences in the copy number of PERV in different organs of a single wild boar indicate that PERVs are also active in wild boars, replicating and infecting new cells as has been shown in domestic pigs.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Copy Number and Prevalence of Porcine Endogenous Retroviruses (PERVs) in German Wild Boars

Krüger

Stillfried

Prinz

et al. 2020

Viruses

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“…Blood and organs from 16 Göttingen minipigs and from 19 Aachen minipigs pigs were obtained as described . Animal 5014 was a genetically modified male Landrace pig with a GGTA1 ‐KO (alpha1,3‐galactosyltransferase gene‐knockout) and expressing hTM (human thrombomodulin), and animal 5016 was a male Landrace pig with GGTA1 ‐KO; both were 3 months old.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Porcine endogenous retroviruses: Quantification of the copy number in cell lines, pig breeds, and organs

Fiebig

Fischer

Bähr

et al. 2018

Xenotransplantation

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The determination of the PERV copy number using ddPCR extended previous data showing differences between the pig breeds and between different organs of a single animal. The determination of PERV copy numbers can be used to select animals less likely to transmit PERVs during xenotransplantation. In addition, this method will be of special value when PERV proviruses are to be inactivated by CRISPR/Cas9.

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“…Beside the advantages of limited growth and body weight, other factors might also be in favor of minipigs. In the field of xenotransplantation, minipigs are used because the size of the organs matches the size of human organs more than that of the large pig breeds [7]. In addition, the breeding of domestic pigs for agricultural purposes is based on continuous selection with the goal of increasing genetic diversity, which is in contradiction to the genetic standardization in research.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Aachen Minipig: Phenotype, Genotype, Hematological and Biochemical Characterization, and Comparison to the Göttingen Minipig

Pawlowsky

Ernst²,

Steitz³

et al. 2017

Eur Surg Res

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Background: The pig is one of the most frequently used large animal models for biomedical research, especially in the field of translational research and surgical models. While standard livestock breeds are used in short-term and acute studies, minipig breeds are the preferred breeds in long-term and chronic studies due to their limited growth and body weight. Objective: In consideration of the 3R principle (refinement, reduction, replacement) and the increasing demand, the aim of this study was to generate a new, robust, non-specific-pathogen-free minipig breed, the Aachen minipig. Methods: Phenotype, genotype, and hematological as well as clinical chemistry parameters were characterized, and reference values of the Aachen minipig were generated and compared to the values in the commonly used Göttingen minipig. Organ weights of the heart, kidney, liver, lung, spleen, and brain were determined using a laboratory balance. Blood samples were collected for hematology and clinical chemistry. Assessment of genetic diversity was performed by microsatellite markers. Nasal swabs were collected from 11 individual minipigs representing 6 races for DNA extraction. DNA was quantified and the identity and origin of the Aachen minipigs at the genomic level was determined by microsatellites. Results: The Aachen minipig established here is based on the Mini-LEWE breed and consists of the Vietnamese potbelly pig, the Schwäbisch Hällisch Landpig, the German Landrace, and the Minnesota minipig. Relative organ weights (lung, heart, kidneys, brain), hematology (hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelet count, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, segmented neutrophils, lymphocytes, eosinophils, basophils), and clinical chemistry parameters (sodium, calcium, chloride, alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, lactate dehydrogenase, triglycerides, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, total bilirubin, total protein, creatine kinase) of the Aachen minipigs and the Göttingen minipigs were not significantly different. Significant differences where only seen in relative organ weights (liver, spleen), hematology (red blood cell count, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, white blood cell count, banded neutrophils, monocytes), and clinical chemistry parameters (inorganic phosphorus, potassium, glucose, cholesterol, albumin, amylase). Conclusion: The Aachen minipig is a suitable model for research due to its similarity to other minipig breeds, especially the Göttingen minipig. The reference values established in this study may be used for the comparison of scientific data and encourage the use of the Aachen minipig as an animal model for biomedical research.

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Microbiological characterization of a newly established pig breed, Aachen Minipigs

Cited by 25 publications

References 47 publications

Copy Number and Prevalence of Porcine Endogenous Retroviruses (PERVs) in German Wild Boars

Copy Number and Prevalence of Porcine Endogenous Retroviruses (PERVs) in German Wild Boars

Porcine endogenous retroviruses: Quantification of the copy number in cell lines, pig breeds, and organs

The Aachen Minipig: Phenotype, Genotype, Hematological and Biochemical Characterization, and Comparison to the Göttingen Minipig

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