Studies in healthy human T-cell-leukemia lymphoma virus (HTLV-I) carriers from the Caribbean.
Six healthy relatives of 3 adult T-cell leukemia lymphoma (ATLL) patients and 6 members of a Caribbean family immigrant to the UK have been investigated for the presence of HTLV-I and expression of interleukin 2 (IL-2) receptors. Serum antibodies to HTLV-I were detected in all but 4 samples. Four to 10% of circulating cells from 3/4 seropositive donors studied displayed IL-2 receptors (anti-Tac+) and were shown to be convoluted lymphocytes by light microscopy morphology and immunoelectronmicroscopy. After 5 to 28 days in culture, cells from 4 seropositive donors reacted with monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against the HTLV-I core proteins, p19 and p24, and released retrovirus particles. Similar experiments with blood from 3 seronegative donors from the same families and 4 normal controls proved negative. Our findings indicate that seropositive individuals harbour the virus in a population of T-lymphocytes which may then acquire receptors for IL-2. These individuals are at risk of developing ATLL.
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D002353:Carrier State / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017977:Deltaretrovirus / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007938:Leukemia / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000276:immunology; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000276:immunology; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D012192:Retroviridae Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D006113:United Kingdom; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D014771:Virion / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014900:West Indies / Q000208:ethnology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D014758:Viral Core Proteins