title: Multiple integrations of human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 proviruses in the engrafted cells from the asymptomatic carriers in NOD/SCID/gammacnull mice.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Infectious Diseases and Laboratory Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Ikuo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Takajo
authors.forename: Kazumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Umeki
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Morishita
authors.forename: Kinta
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hatakeyama
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kataoka
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nomura
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Okayama
mesh_terms: 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