Establishment of continuous lymphoblast cultures from leukocytes of gibbons (Hylobates lar)

Efforts were made to establish continuous lymphoblast cultures from peripheral leukocytes of gibbons.(Hylobates lar). by co‐cultivation with lethally X‐irradiated human lymphoblasts from Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV)‐producing lines of infectious mononucleosis or Burkitt tumor origins. EBV‐positive lymphoblast lines were derived from all of five animals tested, of which four had no antibodies to EBV‐related antigens and one a marginal level. Growth became evident after an average of 26 days. Several months after injection of autochthonous cultured cells and seroconversion, co‐cultivation again yielded lymphoblast lines, but growth became evident on the average within only 55 days. Separate cultures of the X‐irradiated lymphoblasts or the leukocytes, whether obtained before or long after seroconversion, died within 2–3 weeks. Even during the period of seroconversion only one line became established in numerous attempts without the benefit of co‐cultivation. Injection of cultured lymphoblasts into the authochthonous animals by different routes failed to induce tumors (or any signs of illness) despite attempted immuno‐suppressive treatment of three of the animals prior to transplantation of the cells. All animals responded with antibody formation to EB viral capsid antigens within 2 to 5 weeks. The time of seroconversion apparently depended upon the percentages of EBV antigen‐containing cells in the cultures. Three animals developed low levels of antibodies to the D component of the EBV‐induced early antigen complex. Similarities and dissimilarities with results of human leukocyte cultures as well as the implications and deficiencies of these experiments are discussed.