Antibody Formation, Latency and Leukemia: Infection with Moloney Virus

Summary Newborn rats infected with Moloney virus showed a depressed antibody response to sheep red blood cells as measured by hemolysin determination and hemagglutination. Their serum protein patterns developed approximately to the same degree as normal uninfected rats up to 4 weeks of age. As the infected rats matured, a deficiency in immunoglobulin production involving the IgG and IgA classes of globulins became apparent. The above changes occurred whether the infected rats had a long or short latent period before malignant transformation occurred in spleen, thymus or lymph nodes. Viremia was demonstrated at the time of the experiments in all the infected rats tested.