B-Lymphocytes and T-Lymphocytes in Three Types of Bovine Lymphosarcoma 2

Abstract

Lymphoid cells of peripheral blood, lymph nodes, and thymus from clinically normal cattle, cattle infected with bovine leukemia virus (BLV), and cattle with lymphosarcoma were characterized for T- and B-cell surface markers. B-cells were detected by the erythrocyte-antibody-complement (EAC) rosette test and the surface immunoglobulin (slg) immunofluorescence assay. Peripheral blood from BLV-infected cattle had a higher than normal percentage of B-cells by both EAC rosette and slg immunofluorescence assays. Lymphoid cells from tumorous lymph nodes of cattle with the adult type of lymphosarcoma had a higher than normal percentage of slg-bearing cells, but in the same cell preparation the EAC rosette-positive cells were fewer than slg-positive cells. T-cells were detected by the erythrocyte rosette test. The percentage of T-cells by this test in lymph nodes of adult type lymphosarcoma was lower than that in normal cattle. A distinctly lower than normal percentage of lymphocytes could be characterized as either B- or T-cells in lymph nodes, thymus, and peripheral blood from the calf type and thymic type of lymphosarcoma.