Cytogenetic implication in adult T-cell leukemia. A hypothesis of leukemogenesis.
The close association between adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) and human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) has been established. Nevertheless, the mechanism of progression of ATL by HTLV-I infection is still uncertain, because the virus contains no typical oncogene and no significant expression of the viral RNA has been generally found. I propose a model of leukemogenic process in ATL based on our cytogenetic data and molecular results in the literature. It seems that the rearrangement of some proto-oncogene and alpha-chain gene of the T-cell antigen receptor (TCR-alpha) is necessary for the development to overt ATL. A deficiency in the rearrangement of proto-oncogene to TCR-alpha may result in only a minor proliferation of abnormal lymphocytes and remain in the preleukemic state of ATL or in the HTLV-I carrier state.
Sadamori
N
N
Department of Hematology, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Japan.
D000328:Adult; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D025063:Chromosome Disorders; D002883:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 14; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000235:genetics; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D015458:Leukemia, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D008954:Models, Biological; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics
C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell