Transformed phenotypes in long-term cultures persistently infected with bovine leukemia virus.

Two cell lines, 3178 and FLK, were established respectively from calf form bovine lymphosarcoma and from fetal lamb kidney cells inoculated in vitro with bovine leukemia virus. These two cell lines persistently infected with bovine leukemia virus were maintained for more than 150 passages over three years. They exhibited the characteristics of transformed cell lines in vitro: 1) anchorage independence, 2) increased saturation density and decreased population doubling time, 3) increased uptake of 2-deoxy-D-glucose and 4) tumorigenicity in athymic nude mice.