Antibodies to retroviral proteins and reverse transcriptase activity in patients with essential cryoglobulinemia.
Human T cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) gag and env protein-specific antibodies were identified in 6 of 13 patients with essential cryoglobulinemia (EC), by Western blot and radioimmunoprecipitation analysis. Supernatants of cells from 2 of the 5 EC patients tested showed reverse transcriptase activity. DNA sequences homologous to HTLV-I could not be detected by polymerase chain reaction, thus excluding the presence of prototype HTLV-I in each patient with EC. The data suggest that retroviral proteins distinct from but related to HTLV-I may be involved in the pathogenesis of EC in some patients.
Perl
A
A
Department of Molecular Medicine and Immunology, Roswell Park Memorial Institute, Buffalo 14263.
Gorevic
P D
PD
Condemi
J J
JJ
Papsidero
L
L
Poiesz
B J
BJ
Abraham
G N
GN
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003449:Cryoglobulinemia / Q000201:enzymology / Q000382:microbiology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000378:metabolism*; D015531:Radioimmunoprecipitation Assay; D012191:Retroviridae Proteins / Q000276:immunology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; D012191:Retroviridae Proteins; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase