In vivo transfection of bovine leukemia provirus into sheep.

Bovine leukemia virus is horizontally transmitted mainly through infected cells by direct blood transfer. In this report, a cloned bovine leukemia virus (BLV) provirus was examined for its infectivity by direct inoculation into sheep. One hundred micrograms of plasmid DNA containing a complete provirus was mixed with a cationic liposome solution and injected intradermally into five sheep at three different locations. Seroconversion occurred 1 to 2 months after injection as demonstrated by immunodiffusion, indirect ELISA (for the gp51 envelope protein), and blocking ELISA (for gp51 and the major capsid protein, p24). These results demonstrate that BLV infection can be efficiently initiated by direct transfection into sheep. This approach should thus facilitate investigation of the involvement of BLV genetic determinants in the induction of leukemia in ruminants.