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Biomedical subjects

L E Mathes

Publications and source records attributed to L E Mathes.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Inhibition of erythroid colony-forming cells by a Mr 15,000 protein of feline leukemia virus.

The effects of concentrated ultraviolet-inactivated feline leukemia virus (FeLV), the purified Mr 15,000 envelope protein (p15E) of FeLV, or the purified Mr 27,000 structural protein (p27) of FeLV on feline bone marrow mononuclear cells were studied in vitro in methylcellulose cultures. Whole virus and purified viral proteins were from the Kawakami-Theilen isolate of FeLV, which induces erythroid aplasia in cats. Bone marrow mononuclear cells from FeLV-negative young adult cats were preincubated with a medium control, ultraviolet-inactivated whole virus, or the p15E or p27 of FeLV, incubated in methylcellulose cultures for 2 days, and then observed for the formation of colony-forming units-erythroid (CFU-E) and colony-forming units-granulocyte/macrophage. The ultraviolet-inactivated Kawakami-Theilen isolate of FeLV at concentrations of 10 or 20 micrograms of viral protein/5 X 10(4) cells suppressed CFU-E to 66 to 56% of control values but had no significant effect on proliferation of colony-forming units-granulocyte/macrophage. p15E at concentrations of 0.1 to 0.2 micrograms/5 X 10(4) cells decreased CFU-E numbers to 0 to 1% of control values, whereas the same concentration of p27 did not alter CFU-E growth when compared with controls. Neither p15E nor p27 had a significant effect on growth of colony-forming units-granulocyte/macrophage. The erythrosuppressive effects of whole virus and an envelope-derived protein but not a structural core protein suggest that FeLV envelope proteins are important in the selective inhibition of erythrogenesis observed in vivo in FeLV-infected cats.

Animals↗

Antibody responses to measles virus and canine distemper virus in multiple sclerosis.

Age-matched serum and cerebrospinal fluid from 20 multiple sclerosis patients and 20 control patients with other neurological diseases were examined for antibodies to radiolabeled measles virus and canine distemper virus using an immunoprecipitation polyacrylamide gel technique. No evidence for reactivity to unique canine distemper virus-virion polypeptides in the multiple sclerosis group was obtained. Competitive binding experiments with cerebrospinal fluid using labeled and unlabeled viral antigens failed to detect preferences in binding of antibodies for canine distemper virus versus measles virus. Cerebrospinal fluid samples tested for antiviral immunoglobulin M activity using both measles and canine distemper viruses showed no activity. The results of this study failed to implicate canine distemper virus directly as a cause of multiple sclerosis.

Antibody Formation↗

Immunoglobulin class response to canine distemper virus in gnotobiotic dogs.

Serial serum samples from 27 gnotobiotic dogs infected with R252-canine distemper virus (CDV) were tested for anti-viral IgG, IgM and IgA immunoglobulins using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results were compared retrospectively to clinicopathological course of disease and to previously reported patterns of complement-fixing and virus neutralizing antibody titers determined in these same sera. Virus-specific IgA was never detected in the sera. High levels of IgG correlated with recovery from disease, whereas the antiviral IgM levels were equivalent in both persistently infected animals and those animals which recovered from disease. The inability to sustain a significant antiviral antibody response in either IgM or IgG classes was characteristic of dogs with fatal encephalitis. The data suggests that IgG is the most important Ig class for recovery from disease.

Acute Disease↗

Feline complement dependent binding in the Raji cell assay is insufficient for the quantitation of immune complexes.

A comparison was made of the binding of radiolabeled heat aggregated cat immunoglobulin G (125I-ACG) to Raji cells using normal or heat-inactivated cat or human serum. The binding with normal or heated cat serum, as well as heated human serum were essentially identical. The binding using normal human serum was 2.5- to 3-fold greater than observed with heated human serum. These results suggest that feline complement associated with 125I-ACG does not bind to Raji cells via complement receptors, but only by receptors for the Fc portion of IgG. Human serum and 125I-ACG can bind to both Fc and complement receptors on Raji cells.

Animals↗

Protection against feline leukemia by vaccination with a subunit vaccine.

An effective vaccine against feline leukemia virus infection has been developed by the collection and concentration of tissue culture medium harvested from a tumor cell line. Lymphoid cells were grown to near saturation density in a normal growth medium and then transferred to a serum-free medium. The serum-free medium was collected, concentrated, and evaluated for its vaccine potential. Cats receiving the vaccine emulsified in complete Freund adjuvant developed high antiviral and antitumor titers and were protected (81%) against virus challenge. Cats receiving the vaccine without an adjuvant developed lower antibody levels and lower protection (53%) from viremia. Age-matched and litter-matched controls developed no antibody to test antigens before the challenge, and 100% became persistently viremic after the challenge. Vaccination with the soluble tumor cell antigen vaccine proved successful in preventing the induction of feline leukemia virus infection.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

Infection of feline embryo adherent cells with feline leukemia virus: feline oncornavirus-associated cell membrane antigen expression and morphologic transformation.

Feline embryo adherent cells were infected with the Richard or Kawakami-Theilen strains of feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and examined for feline oncornavirus-associated cell membrane antigen (FOCMA), viral group-specific antigen (gsa) production, and in vitro evidence of transformation. As early as 10 days after infection, when more than half of the infected cells were gsa positive, FOCMA was detected on 5-10 percent of the cells. Transitory morphologic alterations (epithelioid appearance and rounding) were first noted in most cultures around 20-30 days post infection. At this time, approximately 50% of the cells in infected cultures expressed FOCMA. Morphologic characteristics of transformed fibroblastic cells (rounded shape, disordered alignment, and low adhesion to substratum), as well as enhanced agglutinability by plant lectins and ability to grow in agar, were demonstrated in one of four FeLV-infected, FOCMA-positive cultures. Findings showed that FOCMA may be expressed in FeLV-infected monolayer cells independent of transformation as assessed by in vitro criteria.

Agglutination Tests↗

Enhancement of feline leukemia virus-induced leukemogenesis in cats exposed to methylnitrosourea.

The effect of methylnitrosourea (MNU), a potent resorptive carcinogen, was evaluated for its influence on the susceptibility of adult cats to infection and induction of oncornavirus disease by feline leukemia virus (FeLV). Young adult cats at an age previously demonstrated to be highly resistant to FeLV, were injected intravenously with moderately toxic doses (15-20 mg/kg) of MNU alone or with infections FeLV (Rickard strain). Following exposure to virus and chemical, cats were monitored for antibody to the feline oncornavirus-associated cell membrane antigen (FOCMA), viremia by direct infectivity and the presence of gsa in peripheral blood leukocytes, and for toxic effects of MNU by hemogram analyses on peripheral blood. Of 8 cats injected with MNU + FeLV, 6 developed persistent viremia, 5 of which became debilitated from thymic lymphoma. Only 1 of 6 non-MNU-treated and infected cats of the same age became transiently viremic. FOCMA antibody development was markedly depressed in MNU + FeLV inoculated cats compared with cats inoculated with FeLV alone. Results show that MNU was apparently responsible for the obliteration of age-related susceptibility in cats to FeLV infection and induction of FeLV-related disease, and suggest that in nature exposure to toxic chemical carcinogens may act as factors which determine susceptibility to feline oncornaviruses in the cat.

Age Factors↗

Recovery of soluble feline oncornavirus-associated cell membrane antigen from large volumes of tissue culture fluids.

Feline oncornavirus-associated cell membrane antigen (FOCMA), which is released spontaneously in tissue culture, was harvested from large volumes of culture fluid. Continuous-flow molecular filtration was the method of choice for concentrating the component. The yield of antigen recovered, as determined by cytotoxicity inhibition, was equal to that recovered with concentration in cellulose membrane tubing against polyethylene glycol and half that obtained by lyophilization. The latter two techniques were found to be impractical for handling large volumes of material. However, lyophilization was used for the final concentration step following volume reduction to approximately 300 ml in the molecular filtration system. Antigen yields were equivalent when removing salt by constant-volume molecular washing, prior to concentration in the filtration system, or when removing salt by conventional diffusion through cellulose membrane tubing.

Animals↗

Inhibition of human lymphocyte mitogen and antigen response by a 15,000-dalton protein from feline leukemia virus.

Peripheral blood lymphocyte response of normal human subjects to mitogens and antigens was suppressed by a 15,000-dalton protein (p15) from a C-type feline leukemia virus. Four of six subjects were suppressed 70 to 96% when responding to concanavalin A or phytohemagglutinin in the presence of 5.0 microgram of p15. The three subjects who responded to streptokinase-streptodornase and Candida were suppressed 68 to 91% when cultured with 5.0 microgram of p15. The subviral protein did not appear to be cytotoxic at doses reported. Lymphocyte membrane studies with fluorescein isothiocyanate-concanavalin A revealed a reduction in concanavalin A-induced cap formation of 51 to 91% in the presence of the same dose of p15. These results demonstrate that in vitro immunological dysfunction in human lymphocytes can be induced by a C-type virion protein.

Antigens↗

Immunosuppressive properties of a virion polypeptide, a 15,000-dalton protein, from feline leukemia virus.

The 15,000-molecular-weight polypeptide (p15) of feline leukemia virus (FeLV) was shown to impair normal lymphocyte function in vitro and to abrogate immunity to feline oncornavirus disease in vivo. FeLVp15 suppressed concanavalin A-induced blast transformation of normal feline lymphocytes by 68%, while other virion proteins had no effect. p15 suppression was not due to toxicity, nor was p15 a competitive inhibitor of concanavalin A binding. Capping of receptors for concanavalin A on normal feline lymphocytes also was inhibited by either inactivated FeLV or FeLV p15. Groups of cats were immunized with either killed feline oncornavirus-associated cell membrane antigen bearing tumor cells or tumor cells plus FeLV p15. After challenge with feline sarcoma virus, three of four p15-treated cats developed progressive fatal fibrosarcoma as compared to one of five non-p15-treated cats. The cats receiving p15 also had lower cytotoxic antibody titers against feline oncornavirus-associated cell membrane antigen (mean peak titer, 1:6) than did the non-p15 group (1:74). These data support the hypothesis that the immunosuppression in cats infected with FeLV is mediated by FeLV p15.

Animals↗

Mobility of lymphocyte surface membrane concanavalin A receptors of normal and feline leukemia virus-infected viremic felines.

The virus-associated depression of concanavalin A mitogenesis which accompanies feline leukemia virus-induced cat lymphoma was investigated by comparing lymphocyte surface receptor mobility of normal cats to that of viremic diseased animals. The mechanics of feline lymphocyte receptor mobility were studied using fluorescein-conjugated concanavalin A to quantitate lymphocyte capping. The results of a study of 21 disease-free animals showed that cat lymphocytes undergo appreciable concanavalin A capping, with a mean capping rate of 17% under conditions developed in this study. In contrast, morphologically normal peripheral blood lymphocytes of six feline leukemia virus-infected viremic cats, with or without lymphoma, exhibited a mean capping of only 7%, significantly less than that of the control animals (p less than 0.005). These findings suggest that a membrane-related lymphocyte deficiency accompanies the development of virus-induced lymphoma in the cat.

Animals↗

Influence of adrenal corticosteroids on the susceptibility of cats to feline leukemia virus infection.

The natural resistance of adult specific-pathogen-free cats to feline leukemia virus (FeLV) was abrogated by treatment with various doses of a synthetic corticosteroid, methylprednisolone acetate (MPA), prior to either oral-nasal or i.p. inoculation of FeLV. Persistent viremia was induced in 82% (18 of 22) of MPA-treated cats versus 11% (1 of 9) of age-matched control cats. MPA-treated FeLV-inoculated cats developed prolonged lymphopenia (2 to 8 weeks postinoculation) and a delayed antibody response to the feline oncornavirus-associated cell membrane antigen. The distribution of FeLV group specific antigen in tissues of MPA-treated, FeLV-inoculated cats suggested that corticosteroids enhanced susceptibility to FeLV by impairing early viral containment in the reticuloendothelial and lymphoid tissues.

Animals↗

Feline lymphocytes: observations on surface membrane concanavalin A receptor mobility.

The mechanics of concanavalin A receptor mobility of the feline lymphocyte surface membrane were investigated, utilizing fluorescein-labeled lectin to quantitate lymphocyte capping. The results of this study indicated that lectin concentration and buffer selection were critical for extensive receptor redistribution with cap formation of feline lymphocytes. Maximal capping was obtained with 50 microgram of concanavalin A/ml of minimal essential medium. The mean capping rate of peripheral blood lymphocytes increased significantly with colchicine exposure at 10(-7) M concentration. The mean values of capping increased slightly with advancing age of feline donors, although this difference was not statistically significant. Concurrent work has indicated that concanavalin A capping may be useful in the study of immunosuppression in feline leukemia virus-infected cats.

Age Factors↗