The localization of genes for HPRT, G6PD, and alpha-GAL onto the X-chromosome of domestic pig (Sus scrofa domesticus).

Pig--mouse somatic cell hybrids were obtained from fusion of HPRT--mouse cells (RAG) and pig lymphocytes. The pig-mouse hybrids examined apparently retained on the average only 9 to 15 pig chromosomes. Seven of the hybrid clones were karyotyped to determine the pig chromosome constitution, and the same hybrid clones were tested electrophoretically for the expression of pig hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), and alpha-galactosidase (alpha-GAL) phenotypes. All five of the hybrid clones which had retained the pig X-chromosome exhibited concordant expression of pig HPRT, G6PD, and alpha-GAL enzymes. These data indicate that the genes HPRT, G6PD, and alpha-GAL are located on the X-chromosome of the domestic pig.

Assignment of superoxide dismutase (SOD-1) gene to chromosome No. 9 of domestic pig.

Pig--mouse somatic cell hybrids were obtained by fusing pig lymphocytes with mouse cells of the RAG (HPTR-) line using polyethylene glycol. The expression of pig superoxide dismutase (SOD-1) activity in 11 hybrid clones as well as in the parental cells was investigated. Seven hybrid clones positive for the expression of pig SOD-1 displayed the corresponding parental RAG and pig bands of SOD-1 plus a heteropolymeric band of intermediate electrophoretic mobility. The positive and negative expression of pig SOD-1 was concordant with the retention and loss of pig chromosome No. 9, suggesting that the gene for pig SOD-1 is located on the chromosome No. 9 of the domestic pig.

A new class of infectious agents detectable by the production of chorioallantoic membrane lesions by human lymphoblastoid cell lines and their culture supernatants.

Intravenous injection of cells and their tissue culture supernatants (CS) from human lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL) induced the formation of lesions on the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of the chicken embryo. Injection of cells and CS from non-LCL and normal human lymphocytes induced few or no lesions. Irradiated chick embryos were more sensitive to lesion formation than were nonirradiated embryos. The log10 CAM lesions induced in irradiated (500 rads) embryos were a linear function of the log10 cells (from LCL) in the inoculum; the slope was 1.0, within experimental error. The formation of CAM lesions did not depend on the presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) since lesions were also induced by cells and extracts derived from EBV genome-free LCL. Lesion-inducing activity associated with CS was filterable through 0.22-mu filters, sedimented at 78,000 x g, and sensitive to inactivation by heat (56 degrees C for 30 min), UV irradiation, chloroform, sera from chickens immunized against CS, and certain human sera. Lesion-inducing activity associated with cells and extracts was resistant to 5,000 rads of gamma-radiation. B2/B2 embryos (the B locus is the major histocompatibility locus of chickens) were more sensitive to lesion formation than were B15/B21 and outbred embryos; this suggested a genetic influence on lesion formation. Our data suggest that the irradiated chicken embryo may be a highly sensitive and useful means for the detection of an unidentified or unknown agent or agents that may play an important role in human oncogenic lymphocyte transformation or might interact with transforming viruses.

Role of the major histocompatibility complex in resistance to Marek's disease: restriction of the growth of JMV-MD tumor cells in genetically resistant birds.

B21 is associated with resistance to Marek's disease (MD). Forty populations of chickens from all over the world were examined for the presence of the B21 allele. B21 was found in twelve of these populations and it's presence was confirmed by GVH testing in all ten populations which were tested. The populations in which B21 was detected represent the extreme production types of the species and include the progenitor of the species, the Red Jungle Fowl. Our studies suggest that B21 may have strong survival value for the species. An allogeneic transplantable lymphoma of MD, the JMV tumor cell line, grows more slowly in MD resistant (B21/B21) chicks than in MD susceptible (B2/B2) chicks. This is the first direct evidence that genetic resistance to MD may involve an active (immunological?) restriction of tumor cell growth. JMV cells were further characterized as a transplant of B1 carrying lymphoblastoid cells, an allele which may be associated with susceptibility to MD.

In ovo assay for Marek's disease virus and turkey herpesvirus.

Marek's disease virus (MDV) and the turkey herpesvirus (HVT) may be assayed on the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of the chicken embryo after intravenous inoculation of chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF) or chicken blood leukocytes infected with these viruses. Free HVT, MDV associated with Marek's tumor cells, and lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from Marek's tumors, may be assayed in the same way. The intravenous assay is quicker than the yolk sac assay and somewhat more sensitive than in vitro or conventional CAM assay after direct inoculation of the CAM. The optimal time for inoculation was day 10 of embryo incubation; therafter the log-10 CAM lesions decreased as a negative linear function of embryo age at the time of inoculation. The log-10 CAM lesions increased as a positive linear function of the time since inoculation. The optimal time for counts was day 5 after inoculation. The log-10 CAM lesions was a linear function of the log-10 cells in the inoculum; the slope was 1.0. Venous in ovo inoculation caused as increase in the weight of the spleen proportional to the number of CAM lesions. Repression of the splenomegaly, by prior X irradiation of the embryo, did not reduce the number of CAM lesions. Embryols from lines inbred for susceptibility to Marek's disease produced more CAM lesions than embryos from resistant lines. This difference did not depend on prior exposure of the mothers to MDV or HVT.