Feline morbillivirus (FeMV) is a recently discovered virus belonging to the genus Morbillivirus of the virus family Paramyxoviridae. Often, the virus has been detected in urine of cats
with a history of urinary disease and has a worldwide distribution. Currently, it is unclear which
receptor the virus uses to enter the target cells. Furthermore, many aspects of FeMV biology in vivo,
including tissue tropism, pathogenesis, and virus excretion in the natural host remain unclear. In this
study we analyzed the replication of FeMV in various cell lines. Secondly, we tested if the presence
of feline SLAMF1 (Signaling Lymphocytic Activation Molecule family 1/CD150, principal entry
receptor for other members of the Morbillivirus genus) improved FeMV replication efficiency in vitro.
Finally, to elucidate in vivo biology in cats, as a natural host for FeMV, we experimentally infected
a group of cats and monitored clinical symptoms, viremia, and excretion of the virus during the
course of 56 days. Our study showed that FeMV shares some features with other morbilliviruses
like the use of the SLAMF1 receptor. For the first time, experimental infection of SPF cats showed
that FeMV does not induce an acute clinical disease like other morbilliviruses but can induce lesions
in the kidneys, including tubulointerstitial nephritis. Further investigations are needed to confirm
the site and dynamics of replication of FeMV in the urinary tract and the longer-term impact of
FeMV-induced lesions on the renal function. Whether FeMV infection can result in chronic kidney
disease will require the monitoring of cats over a longer period.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:DRESDEN/oai:qucosa:de:qucosa:87758 |
| Date | 27 October 2023 |
| Creators | Nikolin, Veljko, Sobreda Doi, Leticia Hatsue, Sieg, Michael, Busch, Johannes, Böttcher, Denny, Tedeschi, Laurence, Poulard, Amelie, Staszewski, Vincent, Vahlenkamp, Thomas, Poulet, Herve |
| Publisher | MDPI |
| Source Sets | Hochschulschriftenserver (HSSS) der SLUB Dresden |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion, doc-type:article, info:eu-repo/semantics/article, doc-type:Text |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
| Relation | 1503 |
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