title: Monoclonal antibody defining tax protein of human T-cell leukemia virus type-I.
abstract: We prepared a monoclonal antibody (MAb), Lt-4, which recognizes a tax protein expressed in HTLV-I-infected cells. Indirect immunofluorescence staining showed that the antigen recognized by Lt-4 MAb located mainly in the nuclei of HTLV-I-infected T cell lines such as HUT102, TCL-As2, MT-1 and MT-2, and also weakly in the cytoplasm of MT-2 cell line. Lt-4 MAb did not react with two HTLV-I-uninfected T cell lines tested and fresh and PHA-activated peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) of several normal donors. Furthermore, Lt-4 MAb stained the nuclei of HeLa cells infected with a recombinant vaccinia virus encoding the tax but not with a wild type vaccinia virus. In Western blot (WB) and radioimmunoprecipitation analyses, Lt-4 MAb detected a 40 kDa molecule (p40) in HUT102 and TCL-As2 cells, and p40 and p68 in MT-2 cells. These results show that Lt-4 MAb is highly specific for the tax protein.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, School of Hygienic Sciences, Kitasato University, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tozawa
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D002460:Cell Line; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000032:analysis; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000956:Antigens, Viral