Evaluation of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase expression in bone marrow of clinically normal and feline leukemia virus-exposed cats.

Bone marrow cells from 8 specific-pathogen-free and 11 feline leukemia virus-exposed cats were examined for the expression of the nuclear antigen terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT). Using a standard indirect immunofluorescence technique, feline leukemia-exposed cats had increased expression of TdT in bone marrow aspirates (2.0% to 29.0%) when compared with that in bone marrow cells from specific-pathogen-free cats (2.5% to 6.0%). Seemingly, TdT can be used as an antigenic marker in leukemogenesis of FeLV-infected cats.