DIFFERENTIAL expression OF THE CORONAVIRUS (MERS-COV) RECEPTOR, DIPEPTIDYL PEPTIDASE 4, ON NORMAL AND STIMULATED LEUKOCYTES OF DROMEDARY CAMELS

Abdullah I.A. Al-Mubarak
Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, King Faisal University, Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

The present current study was dune to evaluate the expression pattern of DPP4 on unstimulated and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated peripheral blood leukocytes of dromedary camel using flow cytometry. Unstimulated camel blood monocytes showed the highest expression of DDP4 in comparison to unstimulated lymphocytes and granulocytes. The mean fluorescence intensity of DPP4 on unstimulated lymphocytes was significantly higher than that on unstimulated granulocytes. In vitro stimulation of whole blood with LPS induced a selective upregulation of DPP4 on monocytes. Together, these results imply that camel monocytes may play a central role in pathogenesis or immune response to MERS-CoV.
Key words: Camel, coronavirus, dipeptidyl peptidase 4, leukocytes, middle east respiratory syndrome (mers-cov)