Properties of a chicken lymphoblastoid cell line from Marek's disease tumor

Properties of a chicken lymphoblastoid cell line (MSB-1) from a Marek's disease tumor were studied. The cell line grew well at 41 degrees C in medium RPMI-1640 supplemented with 10% bovine fetal serum and had a doubling time of 8-12 hours. Cells grown in stationary suspension culture did not attach to the vessel and had the morphology of typical lymphoblasts. At 37 degrees C, the cell line grew initially but ceased to divide after several subcultures. In the subcultures maintained for 48-72 hours, 1-2% of the cells produced Marek's disease virus (MDV)-specific intracellular and mambrane antigens and contained herpesvirus particles when examined by the electron microscope. Cocultivation of these cells with duck or chicken embryo fibroblast cultures resulted in transfer of infection and production of microplaques typical of MDV. Peripheral nerve lesions and lymphoid tumors characteristic of Marek's disease were caused by inoculation of susceptible chicks with MSB-1 cells or duck cells infected with strain BC-1 of MDV recovered from the MSB-1 cell line. No specific tumors were produced at the site of inoculation, and infection was readily transmitted to cagemates. Tumors were also produced in the skeletal muscles and seemed to be largely virus induced. MSB-1 cell line was free of C-type virus particles.