INITIAL STUDIES ON THE PROPERTIES OF A BOVINE LYMPHOID-CELL CULTURE LINE INFECTED WITH THEILERIA-PARVA

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 34  (3) , 347-353
Abstract
Observations were made on a bovine lymphoblast cell culture line, C2, permanently infected with the protozoan parasite T. parva. No specific parasite antigen [Ag] was detected on the C2 cell surface by a fluorescent technique by antibody[Ab]-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxity. There was no detectable surface immunoglobulin [Ig] or secretion of Ig into the tissue culture medium. Immunofluorescence using calf thymus and bone marrow antisera showed that C2 cells share a membrane Ag with normal calf thymus cells and possess a strong transplantation Ag. Bovine antisera against the latter Ag can initiate killing of C2 cells b normal bovine mononuclear leukocytes in Ab-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity. C2 cells can act as weak stimulators in a mixed leukocyte reaction. The possible role of such transformed parasite-infected lymphoblasts in the strong functional immunity that follows recovery from T. parva infection is discussed.