SUMMARYGrowth of feline infectious peritonitis virus in a continuous feline celt line is described and evidence for the macrophage-like character of these cells is presented. Under one-step growth conditions, cytopathic changes and giant cell formation were observed 12 h after infection; more than 99~ of the virus remained cell-associated 15 h after infection. Viral proteins at the surface of infected cells were detected by immunofluorescence. The exposed antigens were localized on four proteins with molecular weights of 225.5K, 175K, 138K and 25K using radioiodination followed by immunoprecipitation. Another viral polypeptide of 44K (the nucleocapsid protein) was only labelled when the cell membranes had been disrupted. Expression of viral antigens on the cell surface may be a significant factor in the immune pathogenesis of feline infectious peritonitis.

Indications pathogenesis of reported (1,2). predominant if vivo.

Infections of cats with feline peritonitis (FIP) virus are usually inapparent but may lead to fatal polyserositis. We have recently advanced the hypothesis that immune complexes play an essential role in the pathogenesis of the condition. To support this hypothesis, the role of the third component of complement in FIP was investigated. In the present paper, the isolation of C3 from normal cat serum and some of its physical and immunologic properties are described. The final protein had an apparent m.w. of 185,000 and was composed of 2 polypeptide chains with m.w. of 128,000 and 71,000, respectively. When tested against whole cat serum, an antiserum raised in rabbits against purified C3 recognized only 1 protein whose identity with C3 was established. With the aid of this antiserum, depositions of C3 in renal glomeruli of FIP-affected cats were demonstrated by immunofluorescence. Their localizaton coincided with that of deposited IgG, thereby supporting the concept of an immune complex pathogenesis of FIP.