Recombinant feline viruses containing the myc gene rapidly produce clonal tumours expressing T-cell antigen receptor gene transcripts.
We, and others, have recently shown that recombinant feline leukaemia viruses (FeLV) containing the myc gene (FeLV-myc) occur in up to 30% of naturally occurring cases of T-cell lymphosarcoma. Investigation of the disease spectrum of two FeLV-myc isolates showed that they induced clonal or oligoclonal T-cell tumours after a short latent period. The phenotypic pattern of the thymic tumours was restricted in that they all expressed the alpha and beta chains of the T-cell antigen receptor and could readily be established in culture in vitro without the addition of exogenous interleukin-2. Although helper FeLV was transmitted from infected cats to uninfected tracer cats, there was no evidence of horizontal transmission of FeLV-myc viruses, suggesting that these viruses arise de novo in individual cases of thymic lymphosarcoma.
D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D005256:Leukemia Virus, Feline / Q000235:genetics*; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission; D009857:Oncogenes; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D004279:DNA, Viral; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell