Bovine leukemia virus (BLV)-infected B-cells express a marker similar to the CD5 T cell marker.
In the course of generating monoclonal antibodies to bovine thymus-dependent differentiation antigens, we were able to characterize an antibody, termed 8C11, that detects an antigen shared by a majority of thymocytes and peripheral T cells (in blood and thymus-dependent area of spleen and lymph-nodes), but undetectable on normal B cells. However, this antibody was reactive with B cells from cows infected with bovine leukemia virus (BLV). These BLV-infected B cells were found to express simultaneously high concentrations of both surface IgM and 8C11-detected antigen. The antigen recognized by this antibody was shown to be a 67.5 kDa molecule. Because similar findings have been made on mouse myelomas and on human chronic leukemia cells, where this antigen was considered to be the equivalent of mouse Ly-1 antigen and human Leu-1 or CD5 antigen, the T cell antigen detected on BLV-infected cells could be the bovine counterpart of the CD5 antigen. By another way, it has been found that the CD5 T cell antigen is also present on a minor subpopulation of B cells in the spleen but not in the blood. We suggest that in the bovine a similar B cell subpopulation should be the BLV target and expand as a consequence of viral insertion, leading to the persistent lymphocytosis observed on BLV-infected animals.
Depelchin
A
A
Department of Immunology, University of Namur, Belgium.
Letesson
J J
JJ
Lostrie-Trussart
N
N
Mammerickx
M
M
Portetelle
D
D
Burny
A
A
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology*; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D002417:Cattle / Q000276:immunology*; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D003429:Cross Reactions; D005260:Female; D007938:Leukemia / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D001909:Leukemia Virus, Bovine / Q000276:immunology; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000276:immunology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D000954:Antigens, Surface