B-lymphocytes and T-lymphocytes in three types of bovine lymphosarcoma.

Lymphoid cells of peripheral blood, lymph nodes, and thymus from clinically normal cattle, cattle infected with bovine leukemia virus (BLV), and cattle with lymphosarcoma were characterized for T- and B-cell surface markers. B-cells were detected by the erythrocyte-antibody-complement (EAC) rosette test and the surface immunoglobulin (sig) immunofluorescence assay. Peripheral blood from BLV-infected cattle had a higher than normal percentage of B-cells by both EAC rosette and sig immunofluorescence assays. Lymphoid cells from tumorous lymph nodes of cattle with the adult type of lymphosarcoma had a higher than normal percentage of sig-bearing cells, but in the same cell preparation the EAC rosette-positive cells were fewer than sig-positive cells. T-cells were detected by the erythrocyte rosette test. The percentage of T-cells by this test in lymph nodes of adult type lymphosarcoma was lower than that in normal cattle. A distinctly lower than normal percentage of lymphocytes could be characterized as either B- or T-cells in lymph nodes thymus, and peripheral blood from the calf type and thymic type of lymphosarcoma.