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Murine leukemia: a virus-induced autoimmune disease?
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|November 23, 1973
Summary
Cytotoxic thymocytes in mice infected with Moloney murine leukemia virus destroy normal cells. This process, linked to lymphoma development, increases with age and occurs during preleukemic and leukemic stages.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Virology
- Oncology
Background:
- Murine leukemia virus infection can lead to T-cell lymphomas.
- The role of thymocyte cytotoxicity in the pathogenesis of these lymphomas is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the cytotoxic activity of thymocytes in mice infected with Moloney murine leukemia virus (MMLV).
- To determine the relationship between thymocyte cytotoxicity, MMLV infection, and lymphoma development.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of thymocyte cytotoxicity against normal and virus-infected syngeneic fibroblasts in MMLV-carrier mice.
- Assessment of cytotoxic thymocyte numbers in relation to age and disease progression (preleukemic and leukemic phases).
Main Results:
- Thymocytes from MMLV-carrier mice exhibited cytotoxicity towards normal syngeneic fibroblasts.
- This cytotoxicity was significantly reduced against virus-infected fibroblasts.
- The number of cytotoxic thymocytes increased with the age of carrier mice and was present throughout preleukemic and leukemic periods.
Conclusions:
- Intrathymic destruction of normal cells by virus-infected cells initiates a sequence leading to lymphoma.
- The findings suggest a role for autoaggressive T-cell clones in the thymic cortex during MMLV-induced lymphomagenesis.