Appearance of cytotoxic antibody to viral gp70 on feline lymphoma cells (FL-74) in cats during ex vivo immunoadsorption therapy: quantitation, characterization, and association with remission of disease and disappearance of viremia.

Abstract

Fifty cats with feline leukemia virus (FeLV) infection and leukemia-lymphoma complex were treated by ex vivo immunoadsorption with Staphylococcus protein A-bound filters. Most cats responded to therapy. Twelve showed tumor regression, including disappearance of tumor cells, but died later of other complications. Three have had long-term remission of more than 1 year and remain healthy. A consistent finding in these three cats was the appearance during treatment of a complement-dependent cytotoxic antibody against cat lymphoma cells (FL-74). The cytotoxic antibody increased substantially during treatment. Appearance and increase of the cytotoxic antibody was associated with disappearance of FeLV from blood and remission of leukemia. By electroblot analysis, antibody to FeLV protein (Mr, 70,000) was detected in serum prior to detection of the cytotoxic antibody. The cytotoxic antibody was found by immunofluorescence to be specific for antigens on membranes of viable FL-74 cells. By using monoclonal antibodies to FL-74 cells and to components of FeLV, the cytotoxic antibody was shown to be directed against gp70, a glycoprotein of Mr 70,000, but not against p27 of FeLV or other membrane antigen(s) of FL-74 cells. The development of a high concentration of cytotoxic antibody to FeLV gp7O may play an important role in tumor regression and in disappearance of FeLV infection.Ex vivo immunoadsorption by Staphylococcus protein A (SPA) for treatment of cancer has aroused interest because tumor regression and immunostimulation have been observed by several investigators (1-4). Feline leukemia virus (FeLV)-induced neoplasms (e.g., lymphosarcoma or leukemia) offer excellent models for the study of these phenomena. Tumor regression has been produced in a significant number of cats treated in our laboratory by ex vivo immunoadsorption using SPA over the last 4 years (5-7). Similar tumor regression had been observed previously (8)

Alpha interferon (2b) in combination with zidovudine for the treatment of presymptomatic feline leukemia virus-induced immunodeficiency syndrome

“…Studies by Liu et al (26,27) suggest that a reduction in circulating FeLV antigenemia may be associated with a reversal of hypocomplementemia and a return of endogenous IFN and virus-specific neutralizing antibody production to normal levels, leading to the eventual reversal of viremia. In HIV-induced immunodeficiency disease in humans, a positive response to IFN-a treatment has been correlated with the level of pretreatment antigenemia (13), while progression to clinical AIDS is 20-fold greater in males who are seropositive and antigenemic (12).…”

Feline leukemia virus: current status of the feline induced immune depression and immunoprevention

“…Liu et al [101,102] report dramatic improvement in FcLVinfected cats treated with SPA by ex vivo and in vivo immunoadsorption. Their studies indicate induction of cytotoxic antibody to viral gp70 by the ex vivo regimen.…”

“…Liu et al [102] also report improvement in bone marrow cytology during treatment with SPA and posttreatment. Improved in vitro lymphocyte activation has been reported when human lymphocytcs are incubated with autologous serum treated with SPA [101].…”

Synthetic Vaccines against Friend Murine Leukaemia Virus-induced Erythroleukaemia: in vivo and in vitro Studies with Synthetic Oligopeptides and Sequence-specific Antisera

“…In the FLV system, peptide antibodies could not prevent leukaemia effectively. In other retrovirus infections, however, for example with feline leukaemia virus, cytotoxic antibodies play an important role in remission of the disease (Liu et al, 1984), and peptide vaccines may be more effective.…”