title: Identification of a recombinant HTLV-II envelope protein for serological detection of HTLV-II carriers.
abstract: To understand the pathogenic potential and the true extent of human T-cell leukemia virus type II (HTLV-II) infection, it is important to develop a specific HTLV-II antigen-based serological test. Plasmid pIIB was constructed and induced in Escherichia coli to express a recombinant protein (RP) containing 140 amino acids (amino acid residues 96 to 235) from the middle region of the HTLV-II exterior envelope glycoprotein gp52. Serum samples from polymerase chain reaction-confirmed HTLV-II-infected people, HTLV-I carriers, and adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) patients were tested for antibody reactivity to RP-IIB by Western blot assay. The results showed all 27 HTLV-II carriers, 10 of 20 HTLV-I carriers, and 4 of 17 (23.5%) ATL patients had antibody reactivities to RP-IIB. The difference in rates of seropositivity to RP-IIB between HTLV-II carriers (100%) and HTLV-I-infected people (carriers plus ATL patients) (37.8%) is statistically significant (Fisher's exact test, p = 4.30E-08).
authors.affiliation: Department of Cancer Biology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115.
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Essex
mesh_terms: D002353:Carrier State / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015686:Gene Products, env / Q000097:blood*; D015491:HTLV-II Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015367:Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D012698:Serologic Tests
chemical_list: D015686:Gene Products, env; D011994:Recombinant Proteins