INDUCTION OF PRELEUKEMIC STAGE OF ADULT T-CELL LEUKEMIA-LIKE DISEASE IN RABBITS

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  • 1 November 1987
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 78  (11) , 1150-1155
Abstract
Two HTLV-I-carrying T cell lines were prepared from peripheral lymphocytes of a virus-infected (B/J .times. Chbb:HM) F1 rabbit, and these cells were inoculated intraperitoneally into 5 newborn F1 rabbits. These animals were killed 3-5 weeks later. Their leukocyte counts were higher than those in normal control animals, with abnormal lymphocytes amounting to 3-5% of total leukocytes. Histological examination showed leukemic infiltration in liver, spleen, lung and kidneys of all these animals. The peripheral lymphocytes at first lacked HTLV-1 antigens, but became antigen-positive after in vitro culture. Southern blot analysis of these cells revealed HTLV-I integration patterns different from those of the inoculated cells.