The induction of immunoblastic T cell sarcomas by virus-transformed prothymocytes.
The ontogeny of thymus-dependent lymphoid tumors induced by murine sarcoma-murine leukemia virus (MSV-MuLV) was investigated. Tumors that developed in spleens of infected mice 6 or more months after the injection of virus were diagnosed as immunoblastic T cell sarcomas. Cells derived from the tumors and established as a continuous cell line expressed the thymus leukemia (TL), brain-associated theta (BAT), and Qa2 cell surface antigens but lacked either the Ly 1 or Ly 2, 3 mature T cell differentiation antigens. In addition, the tumor cell expressed c type viral antigens, and had receptors for the lectin peanut agglutinin. The tumor cells were inert when tested for their capacity to respond in several functional T cell assays. Taken together, these data support the hypothesis that the primary target of malignant transformation by MSV-MuLV is a prothymocyte.
D000818:Animals; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D005260:Female; D037102:Lectins / Q000276:immunology; D009052:Leukemia Virus, Murine / Q000276:immunology; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D051379:Mice; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000032:analysis; D009053:Sarcoma Viruses, Murine / Q000276:immunology*; D012513:Sarcoma, Experimental / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013160:Splenic Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D037102:Lectins; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic