Progression to persistent lymphocytosis and tumor development in bovine leukemia virus (BLV)-infected cattle correlates with impaired proliferation of CD4+ T cells in response to gag- and env-encoded BLV proteins.

The mechanism of leukemogenesis and persistent lymphocytosis (PL; benign expansion of B lymphocytes) in cattle infected with bovine leukemia virus (BLV; a retrovirus closely related to human T-cell leukemia virus type 1) is unknown; however, the immune system likely plays an important role in controlling the outcome of infection. In this study, we compared T-cell competence in serologically positive alymphocytotic (AL) animals with T-cell functions in animals with progressive stages of infection, PL and tumor bearing (TB). Dramatic differences were observed in lymphocyte proliferation to recombinant proteins encoded by BLV gag (p12, p15, and p24) and env (gp30, and gp51) genes in different disease stages. Lymphocytes from AL cattle recognized an average of three of five recombinant proteins per animal. Expansion of antigen pulsed lymphocytes in interleukin-2 increased protein recognition to almost five per animal. In contrast, lymphocytes from PL and TB animals failed to recognize any BLV recombinant proteins. Short-term T-cell cultures from the PL group expanded in interleukin-2, as well as the PL and TB cells cultured in indomethacin (3 to 6 microg/ml), increased the average of recognized proteins per animal to one. Cells proliferating to BLV antigens were CD4+ T lymphocytes, as shown by cell depletion studies. The positive effect of indomethacin suggests involvement of prostaglandin E2 as a negative regulatory factor in the later stages of disease. Thus, for the first time, advancing stages of BLV infection were correlated with decreased T-cell competence, providing deeper insight into pathogenesis of retroviral infections.