Characterization of HTLV-I isolates and T lymphoid cell lines derived from French West Indian patients with tropical spastic paraparesis.
Lymphoid cell lines derived from the peripheral blood of French West Indian patients with HTLV-I sero-positive Tropical Spastic Paraparesis and HTLV-I isolates were characterized. While patients' peripheral blood lymphocytes did not express detectable HTLV-I antigens when uncultured, they did so after short-term culture. Established cell lines were of T-cell lineage: CD2+, CD3+, CD4+, CD7+, WT31+ with activated T-cell markers CD25+, DR+ and a clonal rearrangement of the beta and gamma genes of the T-cell receptor. HTLV-I antigens were detected in cell lines by indirect immunofluorescence, Western blot and radio-immunoprecipitation assays. After 4 months in culture, low levels of Mg2+ dependent reverse transcriptase activity were detected and electron microscopy revealed numerous type-C retroviral particles similar to HTLV-I virions. Western blot and radio-immunoprecipitation analysis of purified viruses revealed gp46, p24, p19 and Pr53gag proteins similar to those detected in HUT 102 and MT2 cell lines. Deep analysis of env-coded precursor of one TSP versus ATL isolates revealed minor differences in their molecular weights. Southern blot analysis using 32P HTLV-I env gene as a probe showed the presence of HTLV-I proviral fragments clonally integrated into the genome of the cell lines. Our data suggest that HTLV-I isolated from Tropical Spastic Paraparesis does not differ significantly from the leukemogenic prototypes. Does HTLV-I induce either acute lymphoproliferative diseases or chronic neuromyelopathies depending upon as yet unknown co-factors? This question remains to be determined.
Gessain
A
A
Institut de Recherches sur les Maladies du Sang, Rétrovirus et Rétrotransposons des Vertébrés, CNRS Hôpital, Saint-Louis, France.
Saal
F
F
Morozov
V
V
Lasneret
J
J
Vilette
D
D
Gout
O
O
Emanoil-Ravier
R
R
Sigaux
F
F
de Thé
G
G
Périès
J
J
D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002460:Cell Line; D015485:Deltaretrovirus Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005602:France; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008395:Martinique / Q000208:ethnology; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D015493:Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D010641:Phenotype; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000382:microbiology*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000032:analysis
D015485:Deltaretrovirus Antigens; D014764:Viral Proteins