title: Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)-associated lymphoma: a potential role for immune dysfunction in tumourigenesis.
abstract: To determine the potential role of immune dysfunction in feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)-associated lymphomagenesis, we present the results of immunological monitoring during the chronic phase of experimental FIV infection in two cats which subsequently developed lymphoma. In one cat, C1, cell-mediated immunity was depressed throughout the monitoring period but particularly from 125-200 weeks post-infection (pi), when this cat demonstrated profoundly impaired lymphocyte blastogenesis and markedly increased interleukin-1 (IL-1) production compared to age-matched, uninfected control cats. Lymphocyte function in the other cat, C2, was preserved to a greater degree. Alterations in the levels of immunoglobulin isotypes M, A and G in CD4+-, CD8+- and CD21+-lymphocyte sub-sets were demonstrated in both cats. Southern blot analysis revealed the presence of integrated FIV-provirus in tumour DNA from C2 but not C1 indicating a possible direct role for the virus in the former case only. In this study we have characterised, for the first time, the FIV-induced immune dysfunction in cats which developed lymphoma, demonstrating potential indirect mechanisms of tumourigenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Beatty
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Lawrence
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Callanan
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Gault
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Neil
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Jarrett
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D002415:Cats; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D016181:Feline Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D016089:Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline / Q000276:immunology*; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000276:immunology* / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D007375:Interleukin-1