Cellular basis of persistent lymphocytosis in cattle infected with bovine leukemia virus

Peripheral blood lymphocytes from 14 cattle infected with the bovine leukemia virus (BLV) and 14 BLV-free cattle were examined by the membrane immunofluorescent antibody technique to detect surface immunoglobulin (S-Ig) and by the erythrocyte-antibody-complement (EAC) rosette test for the detection of complement receptors. Direct comparisons of the percentages of S-Ig-bearing cells and EAC rosette-forming cells in both infected and BLV-free animals showed no evidence for the presence of a substantial population bearing one surface marker but not the other. The data showed that cells with surface markers characteristic of B lymphocytes are responsible for most of the increase in peripheral blood lymphocytes which may accompany BLV infection. The release of infectious BLV and the spontaneous uptake of thymidine by short-term cultured peripheral blood lymphocytes from BLV-infected cattle were also studied. The results indicate that both of these activities are function of B lymphocytes.