The Effects of Sonication, Freezing and Lyophilization on JMV Leukosis Strain* KEITH HAFFER and MARTIN SEVOIAN Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01002 (Received for publication July 18, 1977) ABSTRACT JMV lymphoblastic leukemic cells were subjected to sonication, followed by freezing and lyophilization in an attempt to learn the tolerance of JMV cells to these treatments. Sonication experiments indicated that a high percentage of cell breakage (>89%) is necessary for any decrease in lethality to be observed. Freezing experiments involving a wide range of cryoprotectors demonstrated 2M glycerol to be the best for JMV preservation. Subsequent freeze-drying of sonicated, frozen JMV preparations, of high titer, consistently resulted in all loss of lethality.
MATERIALS AND METHODS Chicks. Day-old DeKalb Warren (commercial flock) or Tillson farm (University of Massachusetts flock) N.H. Red chicks were used in the experiments. Cryoprotective agents. The following cryoprotective agents were used in the freezing and freeze drying trials: Phosphate buffered saline (PBS), pH 7.2, 5% polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP); 20% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) in 15% calf serum (Spencer and Calnek, 1967); SPGA (0.218M sucrose, 0.0038M monopotassium phosphate, 0.0072M dipotassium phosphate, 0.0049M monosodium glutamate, and 1% bovine albumin powder according to Bovarnick et al, 1950); SPGA + .2% EDTA; 2M glycerol; skim milk + 2% NZ amine (Calnek et al, 1970) and Eagle's medium with 15 glycerol and 20% calf serum (Rapp and Benyesh-Melnick, 1963). JMV leukosis strain. JMV was obtained from blood, livers and spleens of JMV moribund chicks, 4 days post-inoculation. Livers and spleens were diluted 1:5 (w./v.) with PBS or SPGA and ground in a Ten-Broek tissue grinder. This homogenate and whole citrated blood were the sources of JMV used in the experiments. Experiment 1. Sonication. JMV blood samples were kept in an ice bath and sonicated (Bronwill Biosonik IIA, 20 kc./sec. at 100% intensity) at 60% intensity for 30 sec. or 100% intensity for 10 sec, 1 min. or 2 min. Cell counts were made prior to and following sonic disruptions with a Neubauer Hemacytometer. Control (unsonicated JMV blood samples) and
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INTRODUCTION By rapid passage of JM strain of Marek's disease (Sevoian et al, 1962) in chicks, a highly antigenic and virulent strain (JMV) was obtained that could produce a lethal lymphoblastic leukemia in 3—8 days (Sevoian, 1967). Infectivity can be experimentally transferred by inoculation of tumor suspensions or blood obtained from JMV moribund chicks. It has been demonstrated by Ficoll-Paque separations and fluorescent antibody studies, that infectivity is transferred with the white elements of the blood, specifically lymphoblasts (unpublished data). The true nature of JMV has yet to be conclusively established, as both evidence for a viral nature (Hamdy and Sevoian, 1973; Kenyon et al, 1969; and Sevoian and Weston, 1972), and a cellular nature (Olmstead and Kenyon, 1971; Stephens et al, 1976; Witter et al, 1975; Munch and Sevoian, 1977) have been indicated. This study describes: 1. the degree of cell breakage and significant changes in lethality (LDso/ml.) that various degrees and lengths of sonication have on JMV strain; 2. the protection of various cryoprotective agents on the viability and infectivity of JMV strain during the freezing process; 3. the effects of freeze drying on sonicated JMV preparations.
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RESULTS Experiment 1. Sonication (Table 1 and Fig. 1). JMV blood sonicated for 10 sec. at 100% intensity caused a 60% breakage of the white cell population, but was not reflected as a significant change in lethality (LD s 0 /ml.). Similarly, no significant changes in lethality were observed when 76% of the white cell population was destroyed, when sonicated at 60% intensity for 30 sec. Sonication of JMV strain at 100% intensity for 1 min. resulted in an 89% breakage of the white cell population and was reflected as a 3 log 1 0 loss in lethality. Sonication at 100% intensity, total time of 2 min., resulted in 100% cell breakage and a total loss of lethality (LD 5 0 /ml. = 0.00).
TABLE 1.-Changes in JMVLD50/ml. induced by sonicated cell breakage Sonication intensity 60% 100%
Duration of sonication (seconds)
% white cell breakage
Change LD5 0 /ml. (logi 0 )
30 10 60 120
76 60 89 100
0.375 0.00 3.0741 6.1981
'Statistically significant change in LDS0/ml., determined by Spaerman-Karber method.
Experiment 2. Freezing (Table 2). The freezing of sonicated JMV suspensions without the addition of a cryoprotector, or diluted 1:1 with PBS, resulted in a total loss of lethality. The various cryoprotectors (penetrating, colloidal and polymeric) varied in their degree of protectivity during the freezing process. Significant protection was only observed with 2 M glycerol as a diluent. Experiment 3. Freeze-Drying (Table 3). Freeze-drying of sonicated, frozen JMV suspensions (SPGA, SPGA + .2% EDTA, 5% PVP, or skim milk + 2% NZ Amine) resulted in a total loss of lethality in all trials. Experiment 4. Studies of cell-free components of JMV cells. The supernatant obtained from centrifugation of sonicated JMV preparations, 2120g. for 15 min. (a force that sedi-
Percent Remaining Whole _ Cells *
0
L0
20
30
'»U
50
60
70
80
90
LOU
LL0
120
Duration of Sonionlion at 100% Intensity (sec)
FIG. 1. Percentage of whole white cells remaining after various durations of sonication at 100% intensity. 2100% whole cells corresponds to unsonicated materials. 3 Corresponds to 76% cell breakage due to sonication at 60% intensity for 30 seconds.
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sonicated samples were serially diluted ten fold and inoculated intraperitoneally into day-old chicks (0.2 ml./chick) for titrations. Uninfected controls were also kept in each experiment. Experiment 2. Freezing. Sonicated (60% for 30 sec.) JMV suspensions (previously titrated) were diluted 1:1 with the various cryoprotectors and slow frozen on the shelf of the Virtis Automatic Freeze Dryer, 10—800. The frozen samples were allowed to thaw at room temperature, were then serially diluted ten-fold, and inoculated intraperitoneally into chicks (0.2 ml, chick). Experiment 3. Freeze-Drying. Frozen JMV suspensions (previously titrated) were freeze dried for 48 hr. on the shelf of the Virtis Automatic Freeze Dryer, 10—800. The samples were sealed under vacuum and allowed to come to room temperature. At this time they were rehydrated, serially diluted, ten-fold and inoculated intraperitoneally into day-old chicks (0.2 ml. chick). Experiment 4. Studies on cell-free components of JMV cells. Sonicated (60% for 30 sec. or 100% for 1 or 2 min.) JMV suspensions were studied in order to isolate a cell-free component of the JMV cells. Centrifugation at 2120g for 15 min. and filtration studies through 0.45 |U. Millipore filters were used to define if a cell-free infectious component did exist. Statistical Analysis. Lethality fifty percent end points (LD 5 0 /ml.) were made using the method described by Reed and Muench (Reed and Muench, 1938). The Spaerman-Karber method (Finney, 1952) was used to obtain the 95% confidence limits of the results.
JMV LEUKOSIS STRAIN
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TABLE 2.—Effects of various cryoprotective agents vaccinated birds. Although Marek's disease tuon the preservation of JMV cells, mors do not often manifest themselves in these expressed as losses in LD5 0/ml birds, a dual infection is present (Purchase et al., 1972; Sevoian £ a/., 1973). Losses in Experimentally, an alternate method of conLD S 0 /ml, trol has been with inoculation of sublethal doses Cryoprotective after agent freezing of JMV strain. Mature birds inoculated in this manner, have proven resistant to challenge with 20% DMSO in 15% calf serum 1.221 large doses of JM (Marek's disease) virus, SPGA 1.319 whereas unvaccinated birds, when administered SPGA + .2% EDTA 1.476 the same dose, develop the lymphoblastic Eagle's medium with 15% glycerol lymphomas, characteristic of Marek's disease and 20% calf serum 1.587 (Sevoian, 1967). Also, progeny of JMV vacci5% PVP 3.349 Skim milk + 2% NZ amine 1.030 nated dams are afforded protection against JM 4 2 M glycerol 0.648 challenge (Hong and Sevoian, 1974; Sevoian et al., 1973). 4 Within 95% confidence limit. The experiments described in this paper were conducted to determine the effects of various degrees and lengths of sonic disruption ments whole cells, but not virus) was found to on the infectivity of JMV leukosis strain and be non lethal. Also, no lethality was observed in the most effective cryoprotectors for the freezchicks inoculated with any sonicated sample, ing and freeze-drying of JMV for future vaccine when it was passed through a 0.45 flm. Millistudies. pore filter. Sonication trials of experiment 1 indicated that sonication of JMV blood at 60% intensity, DISCUSSION for 30 sec. or 100% intensity for 10 sec, although breaking 76% and 60% of the white The most common commercial method of cell population, respectively, did not significontrol of Marek's disease has been with herpescantly change the lethality of the JMV sample. virus of turkeys (HVT), a virus antigenically However, sonication of JMV at 100% intensity related to Marek's disease virus (Witter et al., for 1 or 2 min. duration did cause significant 1970). HVT vaccination causes a chronic and losses in JMV lethality (Table 1). This pattern persistent viremia in vaccinated chicks and also of percent cell breakage reflected in LD 5 o/ml. allows Marek's disease virus entrance into these losses, is illustrated in Fig. 1. The freezing of sonicated JMV preparations TABLE 3.—The effects of lyophilization on JMV cells, (sonicated at 60% intensity for 30 sec.) was as compared to a frozen standard done with various cryoprotective agents used in cellular, bacterial and viral preservation. SignifiTrials cant losses of lethality, caused by freezing Lyophilized Frozen stress, were observed with all cryoprotectors (LD s 0 /ml.) (LD 5 0 /ml.) except 2 M glycerol. The freeze drying of sonicated, frozen JMV 0.000 SPGA 3.199 samples, at different drying temperatures and 0.000 3.865 with various cryoprotectors, always resulted in 0.000 4.879 a complete loss of infectivity. This consistent 0.000 SPGA+ .2% EDTA 3.199 loss of infectivity, after freeze-drying, prompt0.000 4.449 ed further examination of sonicated prepara0.000 3.447 tions for infectious, cell-free material. Skim milk + 2% NZ amine 2.698 0.000 These examinations consisted of centrifuga2.198 0.000 tion and filtration of sonicated samples, none 3.067 0.000 of which yielded any cell-free isolate that could 0.000 2.198 induce the lethal lymphoblastic leukemia, char5.197 0.000 acteristics of JMV. 3.292 0.000 5% PVP Overall results from this study indicate: 1. a 2.108 0.000 high proportion of JMV cells (>89%) have to
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be disrupted before any significant change in L D 5 0 / m l . is n o t e d ; 2. J M V can b e successfully frozen w i t h o u t significant losses in lethality; 3. sonicated J M V preparations c a n n o t be lyophilized w i t h o u t total loss in lethality; and 4. t h e infectious agent in J M V l y m p h o b l a s t i c leukemia appears t o be an intact cell.
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