Transmissibility of adenovirus-induced adiposity in a chicken model

BACKGROUND: We previously reported that human adenovirus Ad-36 induces adip osity and paradoxically lower levels of serum cholesterol (CHOL) and trigly cerides (TC) in animals. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the transmissibility of Ad-36 and Ad-36 induced adip osity using a chicken model. DESIGN: Experiment 1-four chickens were housed (two per cage) and one from each cage was inoculated with Ad-36. Duration of presence of Ad-36 DNA in t he blood of all chickens was monitored. Experiment 2-two groups of chickens were intranasally inoculated with Ad-36 (infected donors, I-D) or media (c ontrol donors, C-D). Blood drawn 36 h later from I-D and CD groups was inoc ulated into wing veins of recipient chickens (infected receivers, I-R, and control receivers, C-R, respectively). On sacrifice, 5 weeks post-inoculati on, blood was drawn, body weight noted and visceral fat was separated and w eighed. RESULTS: Experiment 1-Ad-36 DNA appeared in the blood of the inoculated chi ckens and that of uninoculated chickens (cage mates) within 12 h of inocula tion and the viral DNA persisted up to 25 days in the blood. Experiment 2-c ompared with C-D, visceral and total body fat were significantly greater an d CHOL significantly lower for the I-D and I-R. TC were significantly lower for the I-D. Ad-36 was isolated from 12 out of 16 blood samples of the I-D that were used for inoculating I-R chickens. Ad-36 DNA was present in the blood and the adipose tissue of the I-D and I-R but not in the skeletal mus cles of animals selected randomly for testing. CONCLUSION: As seen in experiment 1, Ad-36 infection can be transmitted hor izontally from an infected chicken to another chicken sharing the cage. Add itionally, experiment 2 demonstrated blood-borne transmission of Ad-36-indu ced adiposity in chickens. Transmissibility of Ad-36-induced adiposity in c hicken model raises serious concerns about such a possibility in humans tha t needs further investigation.