THE RELATION OF LEUKOSIS TO SARCOMA OF CHICKENS : II. MIXED OSTEOCHONDROSARCOMA AND LYMPHOMATOSIS (STRAIN 12)

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Pathology
• Oncology
• Virology

Background:

• Osteochondrosarcoma is a rare bone cancer.
• Leukosis is a viral disease affecting chickens.
• Strain 2 is a known leukosis strain.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the nature of a newly developed osteochondrosarcoma in a chicken inoculated with leukosis of Strain 2.
• To determine the etiological agents responsible for osteochondrosarcoma and leukosis in Strain 12.
• To understand the transmission dynamics of these agents.

Main Methods:

• Serial passage of tumor tissue and blood from affected chickens.
• Intramuscular and intravenous inoculation methods.
• Morphological examination of tumor cells.

Main Results:

• Strain 12 passages resulted in osteochondrosarcoma, leukosis, or both.
• Malignant sarcoma cells exhibited osteoblast morphology.
• Transmission was successful with living osteoblasts but not with cell-free virus.
• Virus-induced neoplasms occurred only upon contact with bone or cartilage.

Conclusions:

• Strain 12 is likely a mixture of an osteochondrosarcoma-producing agent and the leukosis agent of Strain 2.
• The osteochondrosarcoma agent is transmitted by living malignant osteoblasts.
• The virus requires proximity to bone or cartilage to induce neoplasms.