Identification of the human T cell lymphoma virus in B cell lines established from patients with adult T cell leukemia.
Cell lines were established from the peripheral blood of two patients with adult T cell leukemia. In contrast to our previous experience, where all such lines expressed T cell markers, these two cell lines expressed B cell antigens and Ig light chains (kappa on CF-2, lambda on HS). Human T cell lymphoma proviral (HTLV) sequences were demonstrated in both cell lines. Since only a portion of the cells in culture expressed Ig light chains, experiments were carried out to exclude the possibility that the cultures were not a mixture of B and T or non-B cells. Cells that expressed kappa- or lambda-light chains were separated by cell sorting from kappa- or lambda-negative cells and replaced in culture. Light chain negative cells reexpressed light chains after time in culture. After 5-azacytidine treatment of the cell lines, all cells expressed Ig light chains. These studies show that the human retrovirus HTLV, which has been demonstrated to be associated with certain T cell malignancies, can infect B cells or B cell precursors.
D000328:Adult; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002460:Cell Line; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains / Q000032:analysis; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains / Q000032:analysis; D007938:Leukemia / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes