NORTHERN OKLAHOMA COLLEGE
Cats Glow in the Fight
Against FIV/HIV
Katie Montelongo
English Comp 1
10/16/2011
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Glowing green and red cats really do exist! How are these special cats able to
glow green or red? No, they did not fall into a container of nuclear waste. They are actually a
result of gene manipulation or a hybrid. The end result of putting monkey, jellyfish and cat
genes together are these glowing felines. The scientists that are responsible for these cats had
a purpose in mind for making them glow. Their glowing genes help their species in the fight
against feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), and maybe even help with fight against the human
disease, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) one day. The plague of acquired immune
deficiency syndrome (AIDS) not only affects humans, but cats and monkeys also.
Scientists take a monkey gene, named rhesus, that is resistant to the virus and place it
into an unfertilized feline egg. The egg is also infused with a jellyfish gene that glows green or
red making the precious cells easier to see. The modified eggs are fertilized then placed into a
normal mother cat, where they grow and go through the normal birth stages of an average cat.
These cats can, now infused with rhesus, produce proteins that fight off feline
immunodeficiency virus or FIV. Similar processes have been tested on mice, pigs, cows and
marmoset monkeys. The tests were never successfully carried out on a carnivore until now.
Using a virus to carry genes into an egg cell, that had worked in animals including mice and
cows but never successful in a carnivore (Williams). These genetically altered cats could be the
key to reducing or even eliminating the human virus HIV, similar to FIV, in the future. “It can
help cats as much as people,” said Eric Poeschla, of the Mayo Clinic (Staff).
How does feline immunodeficiency work? Feline immunodeficiency virus is a retrovirus
and attacks the infected cat’s immune system. A retrovirus is a sneaky kind of virus that has an
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enzyme that changes their ribonucleic acid (RNA), the virus’s genetic information, into
deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). An animal’s DNA is where the genetic information is in the cell.
The HIV virus infects T-cells that allow our bodies to fight off disease and illness. Once infected
with HIV the T-cell is unable to fight off infections. The viral RNA strands, now changed into
DNA strands, are inserted into the infected persons DNA and become part of the T-cells DNA.
The infected and tainted T-cell unknowingly makes more viruses that repeat this process and go
on to infect other cells ensuring a life with FIV. The final stage of FIV is similar to acquired
immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), where the body is unable to fight off cancer or even a
common cold. During this final, clinical stage, the cat’s immune system is not functioning
correctly since the virus kills essential cells in the system (Nash).Common bacteria, yeast,
parasites, and viruses that usually do not cause serious disease in people with healthy immune
systems can cause fatal illnesses in people with AIDS (AIDS-PubMed Health).
How does FIV spread? FIV cannot be passed to humans, however, can be easily be
passed to another cat by their bodily fluids. Biting is the most common way FIV is passed, but it
can also be transferred through sharing litter boxes, food and water bowls. FIV is shed in the
saliva and is usually transmitted by bite wounds (Nash). Kittens, though not common, can even
get the virus from their mothers. FIV transmission in the utero or through the mother’s milk is
very rare (Nash). This virus is quite common in the feline species, but thrives in free-roaming
cats due to the fact that they acquire more bite wounds in fights than the normal house cat. FIV
is found worldwide in domestic cats, and also infects wild felines including snow leopards, lions,
tigers, jaguars, Florida panthers, and bobcats (Nash). There are some symptoms to look out for
when a cat has FIV like loss of appetite, oral infections, swollen lymph nodes, and problems
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with their eyes and breathing. After a feline has FIV there is no cure, but with the help of the
genetically modified cats there is hope to someday finding a cure.
In conclusion, these unique glowing cats are not just interesting, but could also be the
answer to finding a cure for FIV. Finding a cure for FIV can help find a cure for HIV due to the
fact that the diseases are similar in the way they work. “One of the best things about this
biomedical research is that it is aimed at benefiting human and feline health, “said Eric
Poeschla, of the Mayo Clinic (Staff). The feline immunodeficiency virus spreads through the
body of the feline and has no current cure, but with a cat full of modified genes to help we
stand a chance. Scientist not only gets to help develop ways to find a cure for these horrible
viruses, but also gets to work with glowing cats! I would have never thought cats that can glow
could even exist let alone be so beneficial to the future.
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Works Cited
"AIDS-PubMed Health." 9 June 2011. PubMed. 13 October 2011
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001620/?report=printable>.
Nash, Holly. Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. n.d. 13 October 2011
<http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+1316&aid=213>.
Staff, IB Times. 'Green-Glowing' Cats May Help to Fight Against HIV/AIDS. 13 September 2011. 11
October 2011 <http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/213108/20110913/glowing-cats-mayo-clinicjapan-hiv-aids.htm>.
Williams, Sarah C.P. Glowing Kittens Fight Feline AIDS. 11 September 2011. 11 October 2011
<http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2011/09/glowing-kittens-fight-feline-aid.html>.