[HTLV research 30th year].
This year is 30th year since HTLV was first reported as a causative agent for ATL. From a series of extensive studies especially by Japanese researches, a variety of information is now available, such as characteristics of the virus, regulation of viral and/or cell gene expression by HTLV-encoded protein Tax and Rex, the pathway of activation machinery on cell growth, the mechanism of cell-to-cell transmission, and prevalence of HTLV carries. However, it remains unsolved how HIV-1 invades and enters into human, how HIV-1 replicates in vivo, how the tumor cells are selected during course of infection, and which cellular molecules contribute disease onset and progression. It was thought the mechanism of HTLV-related diseases, ATL and HAM, would be quickly revealed earlier time after HTLV discovery since the HTLV-related diseases show unique characteristics. Nevertheless, we do not have yet satisfied knowledge of the pathogenesis mechanism as well as the treatment. I describe the history and perspective.
Institute for Virus Research, Kyoto University 53 Shougoinkawaracho, Sakyou-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan. ykoyanag@virus.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Yoshio
Y
Koyanagi
D000818:Animals; D002353:Carrier State / Q000821:virology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D017977:Deltaretrovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity; D016355:Genes, pX; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D015459:Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell / Q000821:virology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology