Hematopoietic cells transformed in vitro by REV T avian reticuloendotheliosis virus express characteristics of very immature lymphoid cells

Abstract

REV T (avian reticuloendotheliosis virus) is a replication defective acute leukemia virus (J. D, Hoelzer, R. B. Franklin, and H, R. Bose, 1979, Virology 93, 20–30) possessing a transformation-specific sequence designated rel. Hematopoietic cells transformed by REV T in vitro expressed cell surface markers of immature B lymphocytes. Some clones of transformed cells also expressed cell surface determinants of immature T lymphocytes. An antiserum specific for REV T-transformed cells reacted with the cell surface of lymphoid leukemia cells of both the B- and T-cell lineage as well as with a subpopulation of cells in normal spleen, thymus, and bone marrow. REV T-transformed cells did not express surface or cytoplasmic immunoglobulin chains nor terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase, nor were they susceptible to infectious bursal disease virus. As expected, they were also negative for the expression of all erythroid and myeloid differentiation parameters tested.