Human liposarcomas: tissue cultures containing foci of transformed cells with viral particles.

Viral particles occurring in foci of human liposarcoma cells in tissue culture are morphologically similar to the sarcoma viruses of the avian and murine species. Antibodies in the serum of the patient from whom the culture was originated reacted with cytoplasmic antigens in the original liposarcoma and in the cultured liposarcoma cells.

Mammary tumor virus antigen: sensitive immunoassay.

A rapid, sensitive immuno-assay for mammary tumor virus antigen based on inhibition of passive hemagglutination has been developed. The method permits measurement of this antigen in mouse milk from which the fat has been removed.

Virus particles and murine leukemia virus complement-fixing antigen in neoplastic and nonneoplastic cell lines.

Twenty-seven lines of murine tissue cultures derived from 12 different cell pools and grown on various media were examined with the electron microscope for morphologically detectable virus particles. They were also tested for complement-fixing mouse leukemia virus antigens and for recoverable virus. A 100-percent correlation between results obtained by these two methods is reported. An additional 19 lines from 8 different cell pools were examined for either virus particles or complement-fixing antigens. All lines were assayed for neoplastic transformation. Seven cell pools gave rise to lines showing evidence of contamination with leukemia virus. Since most of these lines had also undergone "spontaneous" neoplastic transformation in vitro, this virus cannot be excluded as a possible cause of the neoplastic change, or of influencing it. The remaining cell pools gave rise to lines with no evidence of contamination with leukemia virus;but most of these lines also underwent similar transformation. These results suggest that "spontaneous" neoplastic transformation can occur in the absence of detectable mouse leukemia virus.

Typical type-C virus in human leukemia.

The virus HL-23, recently isolated from a patient with myelogenous leukemia, was compared by electron microscopy with virus-like particles observed in human tissues and with several mammalian type-C virus particles. It closely resembled the typical type-C virus particles of murine, feline, and nonhuman primate species, and differed from all particles previously reported in human tissues, including the atypical human placental particle.

Ruthenium red-staining coat of paired neoplastic and nonneoplastic mouse cell lines in cluture.

The ruthenium red-staining coat (RRSC) of a pair of neoplastic and nonneoplastic cell lines derived from a common pool of mouse embryo cells was examined by electron microscopy. The object was to establish whether a thickening of RRSC is associated with "spontaneous" neoplastic transformation of cells in culture. Ruthenium red has an affinity for acid mucopolysaccharides of the cell coat. Differences in thickness of RRSC between cells of these neoplastic and nonneoplastic lines were negligible.

Inability to predict mammary tumorigenesis in strain A mice from presence of mammary tumor virus or antigen in the milk.

Strain A females were milked and their milk was tested for mammary tumor virus (MTV) by the hyperplastic alveolar nodule test and for MTV antigen by microimmunodiffusion. An attempt was made to correlate these results with later occurrence of mammary tumors in the females. There was not full agreement between the results of the test for the presence of the MTV and those of the test for MTV antigen, and from these results it was impossible to predict accurately whether a specific female would later develop a tumor. It is concluded that, in this strain, factors other than the MTV can be the determinant in whether the individual female will develop a tumor.

Purification and some properties of the phosphoprotein from rat incisors.

The phosphoprotein of rat incisors has been purified by successive gel and ion-exchange chromatography. The product gave a single band on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and contained approximately 34% phosphoserine and 32% aspartic acid. Alkaline elimination experiments showed all the phosphate to be present as phosphoserine. Ultraviolet spectra in the presence or absence of ATP showed that the phosphoprotein did not contain an nucleotide moiety as suggested by Veis, A., Spector, A. R. and Zamoscianyk, H. ((1972) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 257, 404-413) for bovine dentin phosphoprotein.

Experience with Devine-Horton dermal patch graft for Peyronie's disease.

Peyronie's disease is a malady frequently seen by the urologist. Many conservative treatment modalities have yeilded successful alleviation of symptoms in a significant number of these patients. A number, however, do not respond and are left with penile curvature and pain on erection such that intercourse is severely impaired. Devine and Horton have proposed resection of the plaque with replacement of the defect with a full-thickness dermal graft. They reported excellent results with minimal complications. Five patients were treated by this technique with successful penile straightening and alleviation of pain. To date, follow-up results have been gratifying, and the Devine-Horton dermal graft technique is suggested for use in treatment of patients with disabling Peyronie's disease.

An unusual case of feline leukemia and an associated syncytium-forming virus.

A 3-year-old female Siamese cat was admitted to a local animal hospital with a history of recent extreme lethargy and anorexia. A hemorrhagic tumor was removed from an area of oral buccal skin and diagnosed histopathologically as lymphosarcoma. Rapid physical deterioration occurred, and the cat became moribund 2 weeks after surgical operation. Necropsy revealed at least 200 spherical hemorrhagic neoplastic nodules attached to the omentum, mesentery, and peritoneum. Examination of histopathologic sections confirmed the striking characteristics of an extremely vascular and highly invasive malignant lymphoma, which was designated feline tumor No. 01 (FeT-01). There was no evidence of peripheral blood leukemia. Electron microscopic examination of tumor tissue revealed numerous viral particles having characteristics common to both feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline syncytium-forming virus (FeSFV). Primary cells and cultures propagated from tumor tissue were found to be negative or weakly positive for group-specific (gs) antigen by radioimmunoassay but strongly positive when assayed by indirect immunofluorescence. Co-cultivation of cells from tumor tissue, with normal prescreened feline embryo cells, revealed the presence of numerous FeSFV-like viral particles in the absence of C-type virus. A FeSFV was isolated from these passaged cells, with characteristics similar to FeSFV isolates previously described in the literature. The apparent presence of FeSFV in lymphosarcomatous tissue and the apparent absence of FeLV C-type particles in passaged cells indicate the need to make a more intensive study of the FeSFV group of viruses and the possible etiologic relationship to feline malignancies.

Cycad (zamia) poisoning in Australia.

The Cycads belong to an ancient family of plants and were the cause of the first well documented plant poisoning in Australia when Captain Cook's men and their pigs were affected by eating them. Subsequent reports particularly by early explorers refer to toxicity of the seeds to man. One reason for this was the evidence that the natives ate them. Subsequent reports and experimental work established the toxicity to sheep and cattle. In sheep and cattle 2 syndromes occur, ataxia and liver damage. In cattle the former is the better known, the spinal cord lesion being mainly a demyelination of the sensory pathways. The liver damage is necrosis and fibrosis.

Dermal ulceration of mullet (Mugil cephalus).

Phycomycotic granulomas are described in the skin of 7 mullet (Mugil cephalus) from extensive outbreaks of dermal ulceration in fish in south-east Queensland. The fungus involved was probably a member of the Family Saprolegniaceae, but was not cultured from the lesions. A myxosporidian infection was present in some fish. The primary cause of the disease is uncertain.

Immunoglobulin classes in serum antibody reactions in cattle following vaccination with Brucella abortus strain 19 and killed 45/20 vaccines.

A group of 4 cows was vaccinated with Brucella abortus strain 19, followed 8 weeks later by a single dose of B. abortus 45/20 vaccine. A similar group received 2 doses of B. abortus 45/20 vaccine 8 weeks apart. The antibody responses of the groups were compared by testing whole serums and separated IgM and IgG fractions by the Rose Bengal Plate (RBP) agglutination and the complement fixation tests (CFT) using rough and smooth B. abortus antigens. Animals that had received B. abortus strain 19 responded to the 45/20 vaccine with increased titres to the smooth antigen. These relevant antibodies were predominantly of the IgG class. Standard CFT and RBP test antibodies could be detected in IgM and IgG fractions after the primary inoculation with B. abortus strain 19 vaccine.

Infection and serological responses in cattle given 45/20 vaccine and later challenged with Brucella abortus.

One of 2 groups of 15 non-pregnant cows was vaccinated twice 6 weeks apart by the subcutaneous route with a killed adjuvant 45/20 vaccine. At the time of the first vaccination a bull was introduced for a period of 14 weeks. All animals were challenged with 1.5 x 10(7) Brucella abortus organisms given into the conjunctival sac 18 weeks after the second vaccination of the vaccinated group. The largest lesions at the site of vaccination (8 cm diam.) were seen 2 weeks after inoculation. Small lesions were still visible in 8 animals 1 year after vaccination. There was no appreciable serological response to the first vaccination. After the second vaccination some animals gave low positive titres, but all were serologically negative after 10 weeks. After challenge the highest complement fixation and standard agglutination tests were given by animals in the non-vaccinated group. Serum samples from 5 animals (2 vaccinated and 3 not vaccinated) showed a prozone effect at low dilution in the complement fixation test. In the non-vaccinated group 9 of the 15 cows became pregnant, 7 of which had weak calves or aborted and were shown to be infected with Br. abortus. The other 2, of which 1 was serologically positive, reared normal calves. Of the 10 vaccinated cows that became pregnant, 8 reared calves, 1 had a weak calf and the other aborted. These 2 cows and 1 other were infected. Considering the 11 infected pregnant animals 9 or 80 percent, lost their calves. The number of surviving calves was significantly higher in the vaccinated group indicating that the use of this 45/20 vaccine has considerable economic benefit. In each group 3 of the non-pregnant animals were infected.

Chemotherapy of acute bovine anaplasmosis.

The efficacy of a standard tetracycline, imidocarb and a new experimental long-acting tetracycline (T-200) in the treatment of anaplasmosis was examined in 5 groups of 9 nonsplenectomised, adult, 4-year-old, speyed cattle. The efficacy of T-200 was further examined using 9 splenectomised calves. One treatment of imidocarb (3.5 mg/kg) or T-200 (20 mg/kg) or 2 treatments (10 mg/kg) of a standard tetracycline were very effective in controlling the infection in the intact cattle. On inoculation of T-200 (20 mg/kg) controlled infection in 5 splenectomized calves, whereas all 4 untreated control calves died. T-200 did not sterilise either intact or splenectomised cattle.

The infection of merino sheep with bovine ephemeral fever virus.

Four Merino sheep inoculated intravenously with bovine blood containing ephemeral fever virus showed no clinical signs of ephemeral fever. Two sheep showed a mild haematological response and developed a neutralising antibody which closely paralled that of a steer inoculated at the same time. Leucocytes harvested from these 2 sheep on days 3 and 4 after inoculation with virus reproduced ephemeral fever when inoculated into susceptible steers whilst those harvested on days 1, 2 and 5 did not. Even though this indicates that EFV can multiply in some sheep when they are inoculated intravenously, it cannot be inferred that natural infection occurs.