EPITHELIAL TUMOR-CELLS IN THE LUNGS OF SHEEP WITH PULMONARY ADENOMATOSIS ARE MAJOR SITES OF REPLICATION FOR JAAGSIEKTE RETROVIRUS

Sheep pulmonary adenomatosis (SPA) is a naturally occurring contagious lung tumour of sheep which has been associated aetiologically with a type D- and B-related retrovirus (Jaagsiekte retrovirus; JSRV). To imp rove understanding of the aetio-pathogenesis of SPA, the distribution and the sites of JSRV replication in sheep with naturally or experimen tally induced SPA or in unaffected controls were identified. New immun ological reagents were produced and a blocking enzyme-linked immunosor bent assay (B-ELISA) and an immunohistochemical technique for the dete ction of JSRV major capsid protein at the tissue and cellular levels w ere developed. JSRV was detected only in the respiratory tract of shee p affected by pulmonary adenomatosis and specifically in the transform ed epithelial cells of the alveoli of SPA-affected sheep.