Possibility for infection of plant viruses to humans and animals

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K21519
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 49:Pathology, infection/immunology, and related fields
• Research Institution: Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Mizutani Tetsuya 東京農工大学, 農学部, 教授 (70281681)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 大場 真己 東京農工大学, 農学部, 特任准教授 (30816559) ; 本道 栄一 名古屋大学, 生命農学研究科, 教授 (30271745)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-07-30 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 植物ウイルス / トウガラシ微斑ウイルス / 培養細胞 / 鶏

Outline of Final Research Achievements

It is generally believed that viruses that infect plants do not infect humans or animals. However, academic studies have not solved the issue. A paper was published in the 1960s on the possibility of tobacco mosaic virus inducing lung cancer in smokers. Therefore, in this study, we examined whether pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) can infect cultured mammalian cells and birds. As a result, the virus did not proliferate in cultured cells, either by just adding PMMoV to the cells or by introducing the virus into the cells using electroporation technique. It was found that PMMoV passed through the intestinal tract of chicken without being degraded and were excreted in the feces, inducing the production of IgA in a small amount.

Free Research Field

ウイルス感染症

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では植物ウイルス（トウガラシ微斑ウイルス）が哺乳類や鳥類に感染するという結果は得られなかった。ヒトや動物においては原因不明の疾患が数多く存在している。これらの原因が植物のウイルスである可能性は極めて低いものの否定もされていない。本研究は原因不明の疾患の原因を探るための基礎研究という一面をもっている。今後、さらに詳細な実験を行って解明を進める必要があると考えられる。