HTLV‐II Non‐integrated Malignant Lymphoma Induction in Japanese White Rabbits Following Intravenous Inoculation of HTLV‐II‐infected Simian Leukocyte Cell Line (Si‐IIA)

Lymphoma induction in rabbits by an unknown factor derived from an HTLV‐II‐producing simian (Cynomolgus) leukocyte cell line (Si‐IIA) is reported. Thirteen of 17 male Japanese white rabbits (76%) inoculated intravenously with Si‐IIA cells developed malignant lymphoma including Hodgkin‐like lymphoma between 62 and 167 days after inoculation. Historically, there was extensive diffuse or nodular infiltration of either large cell type or mixed type lymphoma cells in many organs, frequently involving the spleen, liver, lymph nodes and kidneys, and less frequently the thymus, bone marrow, lungs, heart, skin and gastrointestinal tract. Hodgkin‐like lymphoma was also observed in two rabbits. Chromosomal analysis of five cell lines established from tumor‐bearing rabbits revealed the male rabbit karyotype. The immunophenotype of these tumor cells was usually T‐cell (CD5(+)(or, r) RT1(+), RT2(+or‐), CD45(+), CD4(−), RABELA(−) and MHC class II‐DQ(+)) except for Hodgkin‐like lymphoma cells which expressed only CD45. However, integration of the HTLV‐II provirus genome could not be demonstrated in the tumor tissues or any of the rabbit cell lines by polymerase chain reaction or Southern blot analysis. Moreover, no lymphoma was induced by inoculation of HTLV‐IIC, MOT (other HTLV‐II‐producing human cell lines) or TALL‐1 (control). Two of four rabbits injected with cell‐free pellets from Si‐IIA cultures died of malignant lymphoma (15‐20 days). Five irradiated rabbit cell lines were inoculated but only one (Ra‐SLN) induced lymphoma in 1 of 3 rabbits at 27 days. Neither Herpesvirus saimiri nor Herpesvirus ateles (simian oncogenic viruses) was detected in Si‐IIA cells by immunofluorescence testing. These data suggest that the high rate of lymphoma induction in rabbits may be caused not by only HTLV‐II or well known simian oncogenic viruses, but rather by an unknown passenger agent derived from Si‐IIA or HTLV‐IIA, with which Si‐IIA was established.