Oncornavirus lytic activity in the serum of gibbon apes
Gallagher, R.E.; Schrecker, A.W.; Walter, C.A.; Gallo, R.C.
Journal of the National Cancer Institute 60(3): 677-682
1978
ISSN/ISBN: 0027-8874 PMID: 203712 Document Number: 131065
Fresh blood serum from normal gibbon apes (Hylobates lar) contained heat-sensitive lytic activity for various mammalian oncornaviruses. Lytic activity quantitatively similar to that in gibbon serum was demonstrated in serum from 3 other primate species [rhesus monkey, baboon, human]; it was demonstrated to be low or absent in lower mammalian species [rat, guinea pig, rabbit, dog, goat, pig, cow] with the exception of domestic cats, which had intermediate levels of serum lytic activity. Gibbons that acquired infectious gibbon ape leukemia virus, naturally by exposure to a virus-shedding ape or experimentally by deliberate virus inoculation, had the same levels of serum lytic activity as did unexposed gibbons that had no detectable antibodies to gibbon age leukemic virus. A leukemic-viremic gibbon had low or absent serum oncornavirus lytic activity. Serum lytic activity does not necessarily protect against infection by oncornaviruses, although it may limit virus replication and/or dissemination.