title: Lymphadenopathy-associated virus: from molecular biology to pathogenicity.
abstract: Recent data indicate that the lymphadenopathy-associated virus (LAV) is morphologically similar to animal lentiviruses, such as equine infectious anemia and visna viruses. This finding, together with the cross-reactivity of the core proteins of LAV with those of the equine infectious anemia virus and a similarity in genome structure and biological properties, allows LAV to be placed in the retroviral subfamily of Lentivirinae. Molecular data indicate a high degree of genetic variation of the virus, especially in the envelope gene, which have important implications for the origin of the virus (the T4 lymphotropism may be a recently acquired property) and for future immunization. Another problem is the role of viral infection in the induction of irreversible immunodeficiency. This syndrome occurs in a minority of infected persons, who generally have in common a past of antigenic stimulation and of immune depression before LAV infection.
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D017977:Deltaretrovirus / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015683:Gene Products, gag; D006801:Humans; D012191:Retroviridae Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D012306:Risk; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000382:microbiology; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D015683:Gene Products, gag; D012191:Retroviridae Proteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins