Transcription of bovine leukemia virus in peripheral blood cells obtained during early infection in vivo

摘要: Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) is transcriptionally silent in most circulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of animals with well-established infections. Using PBMCs from a newly infected sheep, we asked whether viral transcription proceeded differently during the initial months infection, when prevalence BLV-infected and host's immunological response change markedly. Shortly after being injected BLV, animal displayed characteristic, transient increase that transcribed BLV cultured. Even competent were prevalent (1.2%), only rare circulation (1 50,000) contained enough transcripts to be identified readily by situ hybridization. However, at one point several weeks later, some appeared contain small amounts RNA as soon they had been purified blood. Throughout this period, BLV-transcribing greatly outnumbered virus-producing cells, which counted using new infectious centers assay. Its viscous medium reduced cell contact among PBMCs, enabling increased detection BLV-producing time virus-specific killer might active. Early infection was polyclonal, upon By 2 provirus-containing abundant earlier, but few BLV. These results suggest are more easily stimulated transcribe provirus produce early infection.