Evidence for the chronic in vivo production of human T cell leukemia virus type I Rof and Tof proteins from cytotoxic T lymphocytes directed against viral peptides.
Human T cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) is a persistent virus that causes adult T cell leukemia and tropical spastic paraparesis/HTLV-I-associated myelopathy. Studies on rabbits have shown that viral proteins encoded by the open reading frames pX-I and pX-II are required for the establishment of the persistent infection. To examine the in vivo production of these proteins in humans, we have investigated whether cytotoxic T lymphocytes isolated from HTLV-I-infected individuals recognized pX-I and pX-II peptides. CD8(+) T lymphocytes to pX-I and pX-II peptides were detected in HTLV-I-infected individuals, whatever their clinical status, and even in the absence of any antigenic restimulation. These findings indicate that the HTLV-I pX-I and pX-II proteins are chronically synthesized in vivo, and are targets of the natural immune response to the virus.
Pique
C
C
Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U332, Institut Cochin de Génétique Moléculaire, 75014 Paris, France. pique@chu-stlouis.fr
Ureta-Vidal
A
A
Gessain
A
A
Chancerel
B
B
Gout
O
O
Tamouza
R
R
Agis
F
F
Dokhélar
M C
MC
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002353:Carrier State / Q000821:virology; D002460:Cell Line; D016355:Genes, pX; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000032:analysis; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012191:Retroviridae Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology
D012191:Retroviridae Proteins; C072813:rof protein, Human T-lymphotropic virus 1; C072814:tof protein, Human T-lymphotropic virus 1; D007371:Interferon-gamma