title: Elevated pim-1 and c-myc proto-oncogene induction in B lymphocytes from BLV-infected cows with persistent B lymphocytosis.
abstract: Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) induces a non-malignant, polyclonal, persistent lymphocytosis (PL) of circulating, CD5 B lymphocytes in cattle, with variable progression to CD5 B cell leukemia or lymphoma. We analyzed the expression of two proto-oncogenes, pim-1 and c-myc, proto-oncogenes deregulated in some human B cell leukemias and lymphomas, in peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes (PBML) from BLV-infected PL cows. Results demonstrate that pim-1 and c-myc mRNA levels are elevated in unfractionated stimulated PBML from a sample of PL cows naturally infected with BLV. Results confirm that pim-1 is constitutively expressed, but not inducible in normal bovine peripheral blood B lymphocytes, but can be induced in the predominantly CD5 B lymphocytes from BLV-infected PL cows. Results further demonstrate that c-myc is inducible in bovine B and T lymphocytes regardless of BLV status, but the amount of induction is greater in B lymphocytes from BLV-infected PL cows than in B lymphocytes from noninfected control cows. These results suggest that pim-1 and c-myc are upregulated in B lymphocytes from BLV-infected PL cows and that deregulation of proto-oncogene expression is not limited to completely transformed cells, but can also characterize a naturally occurring, pre-neoplastic lymphocytic state.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman 99164-7040, USA.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Stone
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Norton
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Magnuson
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Davis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D002417:Cattle; D016583:Enzootic Bovine Leukosis / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D016259:Genes, myc; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015759:Ionomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008218:Lymphocytosis / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D051573:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-pim-1; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D015759:Ionomycin; C496634:PIM1 protein, human; C496636:Pim1 protein, mouse; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D051573:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-pim-1; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate