title: In vivo analysis of replication and immunogenicity of proviral clones of human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 with selective envelope surface-unit mutations.
abstract: Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is the causative agent of adult T-cell lymphoma/leukemia (ATL). The HTLV-1 envelope gene exhibits limited variability when examined from infected individuals, but has not been tested using infectious clones of the virus in animal models. In vitro assays indicate that HTLV-1 envelope (Env) Ser75Ile, Asn95Asp, and Asn195Asp surface unit (SU) mutants are able to replicate in and immortalize lymphocytes. Herein, we examined the effects of these Env mutants in rabbits inoculated with HTLV-1 immortalized ACH.75, ACH.95, or ACH.195 cell lines (expressing full-length molecular clones with the SU mutations) or the ACH.1 cell line (expressing wild-type SU). All rabbits became infected, and the fidelity of the mutations was maintained throughout the 8-week study. However, SU point mutations resulted in decreased antibody responses to viral group-associated antigen (Gag) and Env antigens. ACH.195 rabbits had a selective decreased antibody response to SU, and one ACH.195 rabbit had an antibody response to both HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 SUs. Some mutant inoculation groups had altered proviral loads. However, peripheral-blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) proviral loads did not correlate with antibody responses. Our data are the first to demonstrate that mutations in critical determinants of HTLV-1 Env SU altered antibody responses and proviral loads, but do not prevent viral replication in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Center for Retrovirus Research and Department of Veterinary Biosciences, the Center for Biostatistics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, 43210, USA.
authors.forename: Lee R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Silverman
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Phipps
authors.forename: Andy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Montgomery
authors.forename: Soledad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.forename: Tomonori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsukahara
authors.forename: Lee
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ratner
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Lairmore
mesh_terms: D019943:Amino Acid Substitution / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000276:immunology; D015686:Gene Products, env / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015367:Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D015459:Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D011533:Proviruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D011817:Rabbits; D019562:Viral Load / Q000379:methods; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D015686:Gene Products, env; D015683:Gene Products, gag