[Demonstration of the expression of bovine leukemogenic virus (BLV) in sheep lymphocytes by an immunofluorescence technic using monoclonal antibodies]

Abstract

An indirect immunofluorescence (IF) test was developed to detect bovine leukemia virus (BLV) antigen expression in infected sheep lymphocytes, using monoclonal antibodies anti BLV-major envelope glycoprotein gp51. Peripheral blood lymphocytes were cultivated for 48 h in presence of phytohemagglutinin (PHA) (50 micrograms/ml), and then fixed with acetone. The cells were assayed for the IF test. All experimentally infected sheep were positive with this test.