Susceptibility of mice reconstituted with trisomy 19 hematopoietic cells to infection with Rauscher leukemia virus.

Radiation chimeras with trisomy 19 hematopoietic cells were constructed to test the sensitivity of the trisomic hematopoietic system to infection with Rauscher leukemia virus: Hematopoietic cells from livers of trisomic fetuses were rescued by transplantation into lethally irradiated adult mice. These Ts 19 radiation chimeras show a stable and sufficiently long-lived trisomic hematopoiesis to allow experimental induction of Rauscher leukemia. Rauscher leukemia virus (RLV) induced a marked proliferation of erythroblasts in the spleens of Ts 19 mice and control chimeras within 3 weeks. The onset of erythroblast proliferation was significantly delayed in the Ts 19 mice, suggesting a smaller number of target cells for the RLV and/or reduced susceptibility of the target cells to RLV. Both Ts 19 and control chimeras developed nonlymphocytic leukemia 2-4 months after RLV injection. The course of leukemogenesis was similar in the two experimental groups. No numerical chromosome abnormalities associated with leukemogenesis were detectable in Ts 19 or control cells. The numbers of chromosomal sister chromatid exchanges 2 weeks after RLV injection were elevated to the same degree in both Ts 19 and control cells. Thus, cells with constitutional trisomy do not show increased chromosomal instability due to leukemogenesis.