HUMAN T-CELL LEUKEMIA/LYMPHOMA VIRUS (HTLV): A FAMILY OF HUMAN RETROVIRUSES

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1987. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

HUMAN T-CELL LEUKEMIA/LYMPHOMA VIRUS (HTLV): A FAMILY OF HUMAN RETROVIRUSES

Serono Symp Publ Raven Press; 20:431-4 1985. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ICDB/86626935
Manzari V; Collalti E; Gradilone A; Frati L; III Cattedra di Patologia Generale, Instituto di Biopatologia; Umana, Universita degli Studi La Sapienza, 00161 Roma, Italy

Abstract: Characteristics of the human T-cell leukemia/lymphoma virus (HTLV) as revealed by electron microscopy, restriction enzyme analysis and seroepidemiological studies, are discussed. By electron microscopy, human T-cell leukemia/lymphoma virus (HTLV) appears to be a typical C retrovirus. HTLV can be grouped by its behavior with bovine leukemia virus, and the two p24 proteins show significant homology by computer alignment even if they do not show immunologic cross-reactivity. A defective HTLV I provirus (HTLV CR I) containing pol-env-pX-LTR sequences has been cloned, and this clone has been used as a probe to clone a complete provirus and, by low stringency hybridization, sequences of HTLV II. HTLV I has been closely correlated with a clinical entity that, notwithstanding the apparent maturity of neoplastic cells, is characterized by a very aggressive clinical progression of the disease, with frequent skin involvement, visceral organ enlargement, lymphadenopathy, and frequent hypercalcemia (adult T-cell leukemia in Japan). A different syndrome could be associated with HTLV II, reflecting differences in the viral genome and indicating that an extensive epidemiological survey is needed. In vitro-infected cells become immortalized and require little or no T-cell growth factor. A cellular gene has been cloned (HT3), which has a level of expression that is high in any HTLV-infected cell line, very low in normal lymphocytes, and moderately high in lectin-stimulated T-cells. (22 Refs)

Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/MICROBIOLOGY Cell Line Cell Transformation, Neoplastic Human HTLV-BLV Viruses/PATHOGENICITY Interleukin-2/METABOLISM Leukemia/*MICROBIOLOGY Lymphoma/MICROBIOLOGY Retroviridae Infections/*MICROBIOLOGY T-Lymphocytes/MICROBIOLOGY MEETING PAPER

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