Infectivity of avian myelocytomatosis virus MC29 in rats.

MC29 virus was tested for the ability to infect rat tissues in vivo. As a virus source the virus-productive chicken cell line PR-2 was used. Adult rats treated with the combination of dietary phenobarbital, 2-acetylaminofluorene and partial hepatectomy were injected with the viral preparation via the mesenteric vein. After a period of four months the presence of the viral genome in rat spleen and liver was detected by cocultivation of these tissues with chicken embryo cells or RAV-49 preinfected chicken cells followed by the inoculation of this material into the chickens. Tumors typical for MC29 virus infection occurred in the inoculated animals in 2-3 months after infection. The results clearly indicate the infectivity of the avian MC29 virus in adult rats.