Ultrastructural and immunologic characteristics of mouse x cattle xenogeneic hybridomas originating from bovine leukemia virus-infected cattle

Abstract

Nine percent of xenogeneic hybridomas originating from a bovine leukemia virus (BLV)-infected cow secreted monoclonal IgM antibodies with multispecific reactivity. Similar reactivity was evident in some antibodies with an unusually long (> 50 amino acids) third complementarity-determining region of the heavy chain. Electron microscopy of hybridomas demonstrated the presence of c-type virus particles consistent with polymerase chain reaction detection of BLV env gene. Some hybridomas contained dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum and cisternae filled with moderately electron-dense granular substance compatible with plasma cells at presecretory stage. The number of chromosomes in xenogeneic hybridomas corresponded to the sum total of mouse and bovine chromosomes. None of the hybridomas showed polyploidy. The immunochemical and genetic analysis of stable bovine immunoglobulin-secreting xenogeneic hybridomas confirms that BLV infection causes polyclonal B cell activation regardless of antigen specificity. Presence of c-type particles in hybridomas suggests that T cell-derived cytokines are not required for sustained BLV expression.