title: The persistent infection of a canine thymus cell line by equine infectious anaemia virus and preliminary data on the production of viral antigens.
abstract: Equine infectious anaemia virus (EIAV) was adapted to the Cf2Th cell line, a heterologous malignant line from canine thymus. A persistent infection was monitored for 100 serial passages by demonstrating the presence of virus and viral antigens at each 10th passage by electron-microscopy, immunodiffusion and immunofluorescence. Chromosome analysis of EIAV-infected cells indicated they had a karyotype resembling the control cells of similar passage history. Virus-infected cells, grown in roller cultures for 65 days without subculturing, continuously produced viral antigens into supernatant fluids which were harvested every 3-4 days. Antigen peaks were observed at approximately 12-day intervals. Immunoprecipitin lines of identity were demonstrated between ether-extracted antigens from virus-infected canine cell line and known positive EIAV antigen extracted from infected equine spleen and a commercial source. Replication of a non-oncogenic retrovirus (EIAV) resulted in the continuous release of viral antigens from a persistently infected and infinite cell line.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D002460:Cell Line; D004285:Dogs; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006736:Horses; D005779:Immunodiffusion; D004860:Infectious Anemia Virus, Equine / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D013950:Thymus Gland
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral