Malignant lymphoma associated with experimentally induced feline immunodeficiency virus infection

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Oncology
• Virology

Background:

• Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is an immunosuppressive lentivirus affecting domestic cats.
• Lymphomas are common cancers in cats, with various potential causes.
• The association between lentiviral infections and lymphomagenesis is recognized in human and simian immunodeficiency viruses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a case of malignant lymphoma in a cat experimentally infected with FIV.
• To investigate the presence and role of FIV in the development of the observed lymphoma.
• To explore the potential association between FIV infection and B-cell lymphoma.

Main Methods:

• A specific-pathogen-free cat was experimentally infected with FIV.
• The cat was monitored for clinical signs and immunological changes, including CD4+ T lymphocyte counts.
• FIV isolation from peripheral blood mononuclear cells and neoplastic tissue was performed.
• Detection of FIV gag gene DNA in various tissues, including the lymphoma, was conducted using molecular methods.

Main Results:

• A 2-year-old cat, infected with FIV for 18 months, developed a low-grade malignant B-cell lymphoma primarily in the kidney.
• The cat exhibited a significant reduction in circulating CD4+ T lymphocytes at diagnosis.
• FIV was successfully isolated from both peripheral blood mononuclear cells and the neoplastic tissue.
• FIV gag gene DNA was detected in multiple specimens, including the lymphoma tissue.

Conclusions:

• This case presents a malignant B-cell lymphoma in an FIV-infected cat.
• The presence of FIV in neoplastic tissue suggests a potential association, although direct viral oncogenesis is not proven.
• These findings contribute to the understanding that FIV infection may be associated with B-cell lymphomas, similar to observations with HIV and SIV.