Transplantation and Cytogenetic Studies of Herpesvirus saimiri-Induced Disease in Marmoset Monkeys2

Abstract

The response of marmosets to transplanted tumor tissues from Herpesvirus saimiri (HVS)-infected marmosets was studied. Recipient marmosets developed lymphoproliferative disease indistinguishable from the disease produced in marmosets by experimental infection with cell-free HVS. Clinical features of the disease in recipient marmosets were similar to those found earlier: HVS was isolated from peripheral lymphocytes by cocultivation methods, all marmosets developed HVS serum antibodies, and marmosets died from their disease 26–67 days post inoculation. Cytogenetic analysis of peripheral leukocytes of recipient marmosets indicated that the lymphoproliferative disease was a result of transformation in vivo of recipient lymphocytes and not of growth of donor tumor cells. Chromosomal analysis of hematopoietic chimeric marmosets, inoculated with tumor tissues or cell-free virus, suggested that the HVS-induced neo-plastic disease was multiclonal in origin.