Establishment of a Feline T-Lymphoblastoid Cell Line Susceptible to Feline Immunodeficiency Viruses

Abstract

A feline T-lymphoblastoid cell line susceptible to feline immunodeficiency viruses (FIV) was established and designated as Yu-1 cells. Yu-1 cells continued to grow over one year with more than 100 successive passages in the presence of human recombinant interleukin-2. Surface antigens of Yu-1 cells were feline Pan-T⁺, CD4⁺, and CD8^-. Susceptibility of Yu-1 cells to FIV strains were higher than that of the primary culture of the feline peripheral blood mononuclear cells, indicating that this cell line should be useful for isolation, propagation, and neutralization test of FIV.