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Electron Microscopic Study of the Distribution of the Mouse Leukemia Virus (Gross) in Organs of Mice and Rats with Virus-induced Leukemia¹

Cancer Research Unit, Veterans Administration Hospital, Bronx, New York

The distribution of virus particles in organs from leukemic and normal C3Hf mice and Sprague-Dawley rats was studied. In leukemic animals of both species, virus particles could be found consistently in thymus, spleen, lymph node, and bone marrow. The highest number of particles was found in the thymus in leukemic mice, and in the bone marrow in leukemic rat donors. Stages in particle development and location, and particles in tissues from leukemic rats were described and illustrated by electron micrographs.

No virus-like particles were observed in the organs of 10 normal, healthy control Sprague-Dawley rats. Among 10 normal healthy control C3Hf mice examined, budding and doughnut-type particles were observed in 6 mice in the thymus only, and in 1 additional mouse in thymus and in bone marrow also; among the 7 mice showing presence of virus particles in the thymus, "mature" forms with nucleoids were found in 3 animals. All forms of particles found in normal mice were morphologically indistinguishable from those observed in leukemic mouse and rat donors, but were, in general, fewer in numbers. In the thymus, particles were usually observed in epithelial cells, and less frequently budding from lymphocytes or lymphoblasts.

In addition to particles described above, smaller doughnut-type particles, previously described, and presumably unrelated to the mouse leukemia virus, were found widely distributed in organs of leukemic, as well as in normal C3Hf mice, but not in either leukemic or normal rat donors.

¹ Aided, in part, by grants from the Damon Runyon Memorial Fund and the American Cancer Society.