Transmission of jaagsiekte (ovine pulmonary adenomatosis) by means of a permanent epithelial cell line established from affected lungs

Abstract

An epithelial cell line, designated JS-15. 4, has been established in culture from jaagsiekte lesions and subcultured in vitro for almost 2 years. It exhibits morphological and other features of transformed cells and has been shown by electron microscopy to consist of type B ovine alveolar epithelial cells. Jaagsiekte was successfully transmitted to 3 new-born lambs by the intratracheal injection of cells following immunosuppressive treatment with either anti-thymocyte immunoglobulin alone or combined with anti-macrophage immunoglobulin. Incubation periods as short as 10 weeks were recorded. Evidence was also obtained that natural transmission may result from the inhalation of viable cells.