Antigenic stimulation of T lymphocytes in chronic nononcogenic retrovirus infection: equine infectious anemia

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Abstract
Equine infectious anemia is a chronic disease of horses caused by a nononcogenic retrovirus. Studies were undertaken to determine the types of cells involved in the in vitro lymphoproliferative response to viral antigens and the, dynamics of this reaction. Reactive: lymphocytes were present at unpredictable times in the peripheral blood of infected horses. This reaction was shown to be specific for the interaction of equine infectious anemia virus and T lymphocytes. Enriched B lymphocyte populations did not divide when exposed to equine infectious anemia virus. Macrophages were depleted from the reaction by 2 methods: adherence to Sephadex and a combination of binding to Sephadex and adherence to complement-coated erythrocytes. Both methods reduced the number of monocytes, but only the combination of Sephadex and complement-coated cells removed the accessory cells needed for lymphocyte proliferation. During the chronic stages of equine infectious anemia the number of antigen-reactive T lymphocytes seemingly fluctuates within the peripheral blood; these cells evidently require a complement-binding cell for reaction. The relationship of these cells to the lymphoproliferative stages of this disease is discussed.