title: Relationship between RNA-directed DNA polymerase (reverse transcriptase) from human acute leukemic blood cells and primate type-C viruses.
abstract: An RNA-directed DNA polymerase was isolated from the peripheral blood leukocytes of a patient with acute myelomonocytic leukemia by successive purification of a particulate cytoplasmic fraction with endogenous, ribonuclease-sensitive DNA polymerase activity. Like RNA-directed DNA polymerase from mammalian type-C virus, the human leukemic cell enzyme efficiently utilized (A)(n).(dT)(12-18) and (C)(n).(dG)(12-18) and had an approximate molecular weight of 70,000. Further, the leukemic cell enzyme was strongly inhibited by antisera to RNA-directed DNA polymerase of primate type-C virus in a fashion similar to that noted with an extensively purified RNA-directed DNA polymerase from a person with acute myelogenous leukemia [Todaro, G.J. & Gallo, R.C. (1973), Nature 244, 206]. By these biochemical and immunological results the leukemic cell enzyme could be differentiated from all other known cellular DNA polymerases but could not be distinguished from RNA-directed DNA polymerase of primate type-C virus. We interpret these data, combined with observations published elsewhere, to indicate that human acute myelogenous leukemia cells contain components related to primate type-C virus. The parameters used in this study may provide the specificity and sensitivity required for determining the presence or absence and (if present) the relatedness of RNA-directed DNA polymerase in other cases and types of human leukemia.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D002499:Centrifugation, Density Gradient; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D003429:Cross Reactions; D000939:Epitopes; D006160:Guanosine Triphosphate; D000882:Haplorhini; D015186:Hominidae; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D008970:Molecular Weight; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000032:analysis* / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000201:enzymology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013698:Templates, Genetic; D013942:Thymine Nucleotides
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D013942:Thymine Nucleotides; D006160:Guanosine Triphosphate; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase