title: Regulation of human T-cell proliferation: T-cell growth factor and isolation of a new class of type-C retroviruses from human T-cells.
abstract: The discovery, characterization, and purification of human T-cell growth factor (TCGF) has led to the establishment of continuously growing T-lymphoblast cell lines from normal people and from patients with certain T-cell neoplasias. In contrast to normal T-cells, neoplastic mature T-cells respond directly to TCGF, requiring no prior lectin or antigen in vitro activation. The transformed T-cell lines have phenotypic characteristics consistent with the neoplastic cells of their disease of origin. A novel retrovirus, human T-cell lymphoma-leukemia virus (HTLV), has been isolated from the fresh and cultured cells of two of these patients. Subsequent characterization of this virus has shown that it is not significantly related to any known animal retrovirus, is not an endogenous (genetically transmitted) virus of man, and so far has been associated only with fresh or cultured T-cells from patients with T-cell neoplasia. These results suggest that HTLV infected some mature T-cells of some people and that it might be involved in some neoplasias involving these cells.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008222:Lymphokines; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D012190:Retroviridae; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections
chemical_list: D008222:Lymphokines