Retroviruses in human cancer (Meeting abstract).

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1994. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Retroviruses in human cancer (Meeting abstract).

EACR-12: 12th Biennial Meeting of the European Association for Cancer Research. April 4-7, 1993, Brussels, Belgium, 1993.. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ICDB/94697506
Weiss RA; Chester Beatty Laboratories, Inst. of Cancer Res., 237 Fulham; Rd., London SW3 6JB, UK

Abstract: The retroviruses linked with human cancer fall into two distinct categories. Human T-cell leukemia viruses (HTLV-I, HTLV-II) are oncoviruses. HTLV-I infection accounts for the major burden of adult T-cell lymphoma and leukemia in regions such as Japan, the Caribbean basin and some West African states. HTLV-II is widely endemic in native Americans and has also been found among African bushmen. It is not so definitely linked with malignant disease as HTLV-I but may be implicated in a variant form of hairy cell leukemia. The tax genes of HTLV-I and HTLV-II play a role in cell transformation by transactivating cellular genes. Human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV-1, HIV-2) are lentiviruses and are the principal causes of AIDS. The cancers linked with HIV infection are the same as those seen in immunodeficiency caused by hereditary defects or by iatrogenic immunosuppression, in particular, B-cell lymphoma and Kaposi's sarcoma. Epidemiological investigations of Kaposi's sarcoma in AIDS patients indicate that it may be initiated by a transmissible agent independent of HIV but will not normally be manifest in immunocompetent individuals. In addition, studies of Kaposi cells in culture and of some transgenic mice suggest that the HIV TAT protein may promote Kaposi-like cell proliferation.

Keywords: Cell Division Gene Products, tat/PHYSIOLOGY Gene Products, tax Human HIV Infections/COMPLICATIONS HTLV-I Infections/*COMPLICATIONS HTLV-II Infections/*COMPLICATIONS Leukemia/*MICROBIOLOGY Leukemia, Hairy Cell/*MICROBIOLOGY Lymphoma/*MICROBIOLOGY Lymphoma, B-Cell/*MICROBIOLOGY Sarcoma, Kaposi's/*MICROBIOLOGY/PATHOLOGY ABSTRACT
941230
M94C4339

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