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Vet Pathol 37:449-459 (2000)
© 2000 American College of Veterinary Pathologists

Isolation and Characterization of an Antigenically Distinct 68-kd Protein from Nonviral Intracytoplasmic Inclusions in Boa Constrictors Chronically Infected with the Inclusion Body Disease Virus (IBDV: Retroviridae)

E. Wozniak, J. McBride, D. DeNardo, R. Tarara, V. Wong and B. Osburn

Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA (EW, 1 JM, RT, VW, BO); and Office of Laboratory Animal Care, Northwest Animal Facility, University of California, Berkeley, CA (DD)

The relationship between a retroviral infection and the development of nonviral intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies was studied in a Boa constrictor model. Twelve juvenile age- and size-matched inclusion body disease (IBD)-negative boas were randomly divided into three groups. Each group was inoculated intraperitoneally with 1 ml of an IBD virus (IBDV)-infected liver homogenate or 1 ml of normal boa liver homogenate (sham-inoculated control) or was left untreated. All boas were monitored for development of IBD by daily examination and serial liver biopsy over 1 year. The 4 IBDV-inoculated boas became IBDV and inclusion positive by 10 weeks postinoculation. The average size and density of inclusion bodies increased with the duration of infection. Ultrastructurally, inclusion bodies <2 µm in diameter consisted of intracytoplasmic aggregates of granular electron-dense material that were not membrane limited. Larger inclusions (3–6 µm in diameter) were characterized as membrane-bound aggregates of amorphous to granular electron-dense material admixed with membranelike fragments. The sham-inoculated and untreated control snakes did not become inclusion or IBDV positive. Direct comparison of the protein electrophoretograms of IBDV-infected and normal boa tissues demonstrated a prominent 68-kd protein band unique to infected inclusion-positive tissues. Monoclonal antibodies directed against the 68-kd protein band specifically labeled inclusion bodies. The results of this study demonstrate that IBD inclusions represent an intracytoplasmic accumulation of an antigenically distinct IBDV-associated protein.

Key words: Boa constrictor; hyaline inclusions; inclusion body disease; Retroviridae; retrovirus.

Request reprints from Dr. E. J. Wozniak, Animal Resources Center, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX 77555-0621 (USA).




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