Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus Replication in Human Intestinal Cells Reveals Potential Susceptibility to Cross-Species Infection

Zheng Niu; Shujuan Zhang; Shasha Xu; Jing Wang; Siying Wang; Xia Hu; Li Zhang; Lixin Ren; Jingyi Zhang; Xiangyang Liu; Yang Zhou; Liu Yang; Zhenhui Song

doi:10.3390/v15040956

Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus Replication in Human Intestinal Cells Reveals Potential Susceptibility to Cross-Species Infection

Viruses. 2023 Apr 13;15(4):956. doi: 10.3390/v15040956.

Authors

Zheng Niu^{1

2}, Shujuan Zhang¹, Shasha Xu¹, Jing Wang¹, Siying Wang¹, Xia Hu¹, Li Zhang¹, Lixin Ren¹, Jingyi Zhang¹, Xiangyang Liu^{1

3}, Yang Zhou^{1

3}, Liu Yang⁴, Zhenhui Song^{1

5}

Affiliations

¹ College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, China.
² College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China.
³ College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Ürümqi 830052, China.
⁴ National Center of Technology Innovation for Pigs, Chongqing 402460, China.
⁵ Immunology Research Center, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, China.

Abstract

Various coronaviruses have emerged as a result of cross-species transmission among humans and domestic animals. Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV; family Coronaviridae, genus Alphacoronavirus) causes acute diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, and high mortality in neonatal piglets. Porcine small intestinal epithelial cells (IPEC-J2 cells) can be used as target cells for PEDV infection. However, the origin of PEDV in pigs, the host range, and cross-species infection of PEDV remain unclear. To determine whether PEDV has the ability to infect human cells in vitro, human small intestinal epithelial cells (FHs 74 Int cells) were inoculated with PEDV LJX and PEDV CV777 strains. The results indicated that PEDV LJX, but not PEDV CV777, could infect FHs 74 Int cells. Furthermore, we observed M gene mRNA transcripts and N protein expression in infected FHs 74 Int cells. A one-step growth curve showed that the highest viral titer of PEDV occurred at 12 h post infection. Viral particles in vacuoles were observed in FHs 74 Int cells at 24 h post infection. The results proved that human small intestinal epithelial cells are susceptible to PEDV infection, suggesting the possibility of cross-species transmission of PEDV.

Keywords: PEDV; cross-species transmission; human small intestinal epithelial cells.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Cell Line
Coronavirus Infections* / veterinary
Diarrhea
Epithelial Cells
Humans
Intestines
Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus* / genetics
Swine
Swine Diseases*

Grants and funding

This research was funded by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (XDJK2020RC001), and the Venture & Innovation Support Program for Chongqing Overseas Returnees (cx2019097).