Multiple integrations of human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 proviruses in the engrafted cells from the asymptomatic carriers in NOD/SCID/gammacnull mice.
OBJECTIVE
Successful engraftment of human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-infected cells and a marked increase of proviral DNA loads (PVLs) in non-obese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient (NOD/SCID)/gammac(null) (NOG) mice have been reported. Whether the increased PVL in transplanted mice is due to the new infection of HTLV-1 was examined.


METHODS
Mononuclear cells from 3 NOG mice with primary engraftment from asymptomatic HTLV-1 carriers were transplanted into a second group of NOG mice. HTLV-1 PVL, proviral integration by fluorescence in situ hybridization assay, expression of viral antigen, and T-cell clonality were analyzed.


RESULTS
The PVLs in the secondarily transplanted NOG mice were significantly higher than those of primarily transplanted NOG mice. Multiple signals of HTLV-1 proviruses in the nucleus of the infected cells were revealed by fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis. Expression of HTLV-1 tax/rex mRNA and antigen was observed. The variety of T-cell clones was limited in the transplanted NOG mice.


CONCLUSIONS
Multiple proviral integrations were considered to be due to the new infection from HTLV-1-infected cells to the other cells. Only a certain fraction of T cells seemed to have selectively survived in NOG mice after engraftment.
Yamamoto
Ikuo
I
Department of Rheumatology, Infectious Diseases and Laboratory Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan.
Takajo
Ichiro
I
Umeki
Kazumi
K
Morishita
Kazuhiro
K
Hatakeyama
Kinta
K
Kataoka
Hiroaki
H
Nomura
Hajime
H
Okayama
Akihiko
A
D000818:Animals; D002353:Carrier State / Q000821:virology*; D017690:Cell Transplantation; D005260:Female; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000821:virology*; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000821:virology; D051379:Mice; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD; D016513:Mice, SCID; D011533:Proviruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous