Relationship between the level of signaling lymphocyte activation molecule mRNA and replication of Peste-des-petits-ruminants virus in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of host animals.

: Basal signaling lymphocyte activation molecule (SLAM) expression in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of cattle, buffalo, sheep, and goats was correlated with Peste-des-petits-ruminants virus (PPRV) replication assessed by real-time PCR and virus titers. PBMCs from goats had the highest level of SLAM mRNA followed by sheep, cattle, and buffalo. Different breeds of goats had different basal levels of SLAM mRNA. In the PBMCs of studied animals, basal SLAM expression had high correlation with their ability to replicate PPRV. After stimulation of PBMCs from different breeds of goats with concanavalin A (con A), the SLAM expression increased 4- to 16-fold, what resulted in a 1.7- to 3.8-fold increase of viral mRNA and the virus titer increased by 0.4-1.3 log units. These findings revealed that SLAM expression and PPRV replication are highly correlated and different levels of SLAM mRNA could influence the virus replication in different animals.