title: Recognition of human T-leukemia virus (HTLV-1) envelope by human CD4+ T-cell lines from HTLV-1 seronegative individuals: specificity and clonal heterogeneity.
abstract: Because T-helper cells are critical for immune responses in retroviral infections, CD4+ T-cell lines specific for the human T-leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) envelope have been generated from peripheral T lymphocytes of nonimmune donors to study their naive repertoire. Recombinant fragments (RE1, amino acids [aa] 26-200; RE3, aa 165-307; RE5, aa 308-401; and RE6, aa 165-401) of HTLV-1 envelope, whole envelope glycoprotein, and synthetic peptides were used to induce T-cell lines. CD4+ T-cell lines specific for one or more fragments were obtained from seven of eight individuals tested. T-cell lines generated against envelope glycoprotein from five of five donors did not cross-react with the RE fragments and vice versa. The lines specific for RE and env were mapped with overlapping peptides. The lines with single peptide (narrow) specificity contained a variety of clones that used different T-cell receptor V beta genes. These data (1) suggest that most of the normal individuals carry T-helper precursors specific for epitopes on HTLV-1 envelope; (2) indicate that heterogeneity of HTLV-1 envelope-specific T cells can be detected in the naive repertoire; and (3) define optimal antigenic preparations to be used to assess cellular immunity in HTLV-1-infected individuals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, San Martino Hospital, University of Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Manca
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li Pira
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fenoglio
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Valle
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kunkl
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferraris
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lancia
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Saverino
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mortara
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Balderas
mesh_terms: D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002460:Cell Line; D000939:Epitopes; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000276:immunology; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000235:genetics; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins