Premium
Lymphocyte subpopulations in sheep with lymphosarcoma resulting from experimental infection with bovine leukaemia virus
Author(s) -
Dimmock C. K.,
Ward W. H.,
Trueman K. F.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
immunology and cell biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.999
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1440-1711
pISSN - 0818-9641
DOI - 10.1038/icb.1990.6
Subject(s) - cd8 , lymph , lymphocyte , population , spleen , biology , virus , bovine leukemia virus , virology , immunology , t lymphocyte , pathology , medicine , immune system , environmental health
Summary Sheep were experimentally infected with bovine leukaemia virus (BLV) and developed leukaemia and lymphosarcoma 30–88 weeks later. Ten sheep with lymphosarcoma were necropsied and lymphocyte subpopulations were evaluated in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) and lymphocyte suspensions prepared from a range of lymph nodes, tumours and spleen. The leukaemic phase of BLV infection was characterized by an increase in the number of circulating B lymphocytes. The number of T lymphocytes was also increased with the CD8 + subpopulation proliferating at a much greater rate than the CD4 + subpopulation. In PBL the CD4:CD8 ratio fell rapidly as leukaemia developed, being 1·15 (±0·18) 5–8 weeks before necropsy and 0·38 (±0·09) at necropsy. During this period the number of B lymphocytes increased from 11·2 (± 0·7) to 379·4 (± 85·8)x 10 9 /L. CD4: CD8 ratios were also low in all lymph nodes and spleens of leukaemic sheep at necropsy. Most of the cells in solid tumours were B lymphocytes but a small population of T lymphocytes with a low CD4: CD8 ratio was identified.