Transplantation of cultured jaagsiekte (sheep pulmonary adenomatosis) cells into athymic nude mice.

Epithelial cells of the 15.4 line, which were originally established from the adenomatous lung of a jaagsieke case and which had been cultured in vitro for 22 generations, were injected subcutaneously into athymic nude mice. A slow-growing tumour which soon became cystic was established in each case. The cysts rapidly increased in size as a result of the accumulation of a slightly turbid secretion containing aggregates of tumour cells which rapidly refilled the cysts after the fluid had been withdrawn. Cultures were readily re-established from these cells and a chromosomal analysis proved that the tumor consisted of sheep cells. An epithelial cell lining, very similar to that found in the adenomatous lung alveoli of typical jaagsiekte, could be demonstrated histologically.

The serological relationship of herpesvirus ovis to other herpesviruses and its possible involvement in the aetiology of jaagsiekte.

Cross-neutralization studies showed that 3 different isolates of herpesvirus ovis from cell cultures derived from the lungs of sheep suffering from jaagsiekte were not only identical but were also related to similar isolate made in Scotland. No relationship, however, could be established between herpesvirus ovis and common bovine or equine herpesviruses. Antibodies to herpesvirus ovis were present in roughly 70% of all animals tested and no evidence was obtained for the involvement of the virus in the aetiology of jaagsiekte. On the other hand, the absence of antibodies in sheep sera from Iceland as well as the other data obtained in this study did not exclude involvement of the virus in jaagsiekte.