Persistent lymphocytosis and virus-like particles in lymphocytes of sheep inoculated with cell-free extracts derived from ovine malignant lymphomas.

White cell counts of sheep inoculated in utero or at birth with cell-free extracts of ovine malignant lymphomas have been monitored for 5 yr. Of 28 inoculated sheep which have survived, 19 have shown persistent lymphocytosis. After 5 yr, no lymphomas had developed in the inoculated sheep. Electron-microscopic examination of short-term cultures of phytohaemaglutinin-stimulated lymphocytes from the sheep with persistent lymphocytosis has revealed virus-like particles in five of nine animals examined but none in similar cultures from 11 uninoculated sheep. The density of particles recovered from these cultures has been determined by centrifugation on caesium chloride isopycnic density as being 1.14--1.145 gm/microliter. These particles are not typical of oncornavirus as reported from sheep and cattle elsewhere and may represent a different type of virus or indeed be non-viral.