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PubMed1989

[Adult T-cell leukemia associated with cancer].

We observed adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) associated with cancer in four of 46 patients with ATL, including gastric cancer in two, lung cancer in one, and esophageal and gingival cancer in one. The associated cancer was recognized in three of these patients prior to the diagnosis of ATL and, in one, at autopsy. One patient suffered from a skin type of ATL, two a smoldering type and one a chronic type. No information was obtained from our patients presented here as to whether HTLV-1 influenced the appearance of other cancers, or whether the treatment for cancers influenced the appearance of ATL. Further investigations are necessary to clarify the relationship between ATL and associated cancers.

Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous↗
PubMed1989

Increased density of ecto 5' nucleotidase antigen on leukemic T cells from patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma.

Malignant CD4+ T cells in adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) express a number of cell surface molecules that are upregulated on normal T cells activated by foreign antigen. In this report we describe an interesting exception to the parallel phenotypic features of activated T cells and malignant CD4+ T cells. A monoclonal antibody (MoAb; termed 27.2) that was raised to HTLV-1+, CD4+25+ leukemic T cells stained weakly 25% of peripheral T cells, including approximately 50% of CD8+ T cells and 20% of CD4+ T cells. Flow cytometry analysis indicated that the surface density of the 27.2 antigen was unchanged or diminished when normal T cells were activated by antigen. However, 3/4 Sezary cases and 4/8 cases of ATL had relatively high densities of the 27.2 antigen. Immunoprecipitation and sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the NP-40-solubilized membranes of surface-iodinated ATL cells indicated that MoAb 27.2 reacted with a 75 Kd molecule. The size and distribution of the 27.2 antigen on T cell subsets suggested that it might be the enzyme ecto-5' nucleotidase (NT), a phosphatidylinositol-linked enzyme that catalyzes dephosphorylation of monophosphate nucleotides to their respective nucleosides. This was confirmed by demonstrating that lymphocyte ecto-5'NT activity was blocked partially and inhibited completely by preincubating cells with MoAb 27.2 for 1 hour at 4 degrees C and 24 hours at 37 degrees C, respectively. When used with a second MoAb (27.1) to a novel T cell activation antigen found on all CTCL and ATL leukemias examined, 27.2 was found to discriminate between normal and leukemic T cells in two patients with ATL. These studies suggest that ecto-5'NT has diagnostic value in T cell malignancies and may be aberrantly expressed in some cases of ATL and CTCL.

5'-Nucleotidase↗
PubMed1989

Natural killer activity and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity in patients with adult T-cell leukemia.

Natural killer (NK) activity of peripheral mononuclear cells (PMNC) from patients with adult T-cell leukemia (ATL), anti-HTLV-I antibody positive healthy carriers, and anti-HTLV-I antibody negative healthy persons (Ab-negative persons) was investigated using various target cells. PMNC from patients with ATL and healthy carriers had reduced NK activity against the NK-sensitive non-HTLV-I producing target cells, compared with the controls. In contrast, PMNC from patients with ATL, healthy carriers, and Ab-negative persons did not exhibit significant NK cell lysis against HTLV-I producing cells. However, one Ab-negative person exhibited increased NK cell lysis against an HTLV-I producing target cell. The effector cells involved in this enhanced cytolysis were found to be CD3+, HNK-1+, and CD8+. HTLV-I producing cells were lysed by PMNC from Ab-negative persons in the presence of anti-HTLV-I antibody (antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity; ADCC). The efficiency did not show significant difference between antibodies from patients with ATL and those from healthy carriers. The ADCC was specific to HTLV-I producing cells. PMNC from one patient with ATL in remission exhibited increased ADCC in the presence of autologous serum against HTLV-I, whereas PMNC from a patient with ATL or a healthy carrier did not exhibit ADCC. These results indicated that NK and K cells influence the immunological surveillance against HTLV-I infection or leukemic cells.

Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity↗
PubMed1989

Comparison of anti-Tac and anti-transferrin receptor-conjugated liposomes for specific drug delivery to adult T-cell leukemia.

Adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) is a rapidly progressive and usually fatal malignancy of mature T cells characterized by the expression of large numbers of interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptors on the cell surface. Anti-Tac, a monoclonal antibody directed against the IL-2 receptor, was conjugated to liposomes and compared with anti-transferrin receptor (anti-TFR) conjugates for specific binding, internalization, and intracellular drug delivery to ATL cells. Two independent assays were used: a fluorimetric assay with liposome encapsulated 1-hydroxypyrene-3,6,8-trisulfonic acid, a pH-sensitive fluorescent dye, and a growth inhibition assay using methotrexate-gamma-aspartate, a liposome-dependent cytotoxic drug. MT-1 and HUT-102 cell lines derived from patients with ATL were compared with Molt-4, a leukemia cell line that does not express IL-2 receptors in an uninduced state. Fluorimetric studies showed specific binding and internalization of anti-Tac-conjugated liposomes by HUT-102 and MT-1 but not by the Tac-negative cell line Molt-4, demonstrating the lack of nonspecific or Fc receptor-mediated uptake. Anti-TFR-conjugated liposomes were effectively bound and internalized by all three cell lines and consistently showed the highest degree of cellular liposome uptake. Drug-containing liposomes conjugated to anti-Tac were more than tenfold more effective in causing growth inhibition of ATL cells than the nonspecific control conjugates. Anti-Tac conjugates caused minimal growth inhibition of Molt-4 cells over the concentration range effective against the ATL cells. Anti-TFR-coupled liposomes gave better growth inhibition of HUT-102 and MT-1 cells (40- to 60-fold) than anti-Tac conjugates. Both anti-Tac-directed and anti-TFR-directed liposomes are effective for intracellular drug delivery to ATL cells and may represent a useful method of treatment in this disease.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1989

Elevated serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptors in HTLV-I--associated myelopathy.

Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, we measured the level of soluble interleukin-2 receptors (sIL-2Rs) in the serum of 50 normal controls, 48 human carriers of T cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) antibody who had no symptoms, 11 patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy (HAM), and 39 patients with adult T cell leukemia (ATL) (four smoldering, 10 chronic, nine lymphoma, and 16 acute type). The highest levels of sIL-2R were observed in patients with acute and lymphoma-type ATL, as opposed to those with chronic and smoldering-type ATL. The levels of sIL-2R in patients with HAM were roughly between those of smoldering ATL and healthy HTLV-I carriers. Serum sIL-2R levels in healthy carriers were also elevated compared with those in normal controls. These observations suggest that the measurement of sIL-2R levels in patients with ATL can be useful as a noninvasive measure of tumor burden and should aid in the understanding of the natural history of HTLV-I infection leading to the development of ATL.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

A unique T-cell line derived from an HTLV-1-negative adult T-cell leukemia patient.

A unique T-cell line, designated ATL-5T, was established from lymphoma cells in pericardial effusion of an adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) patient not carrying HTLV-1 provirus. The cell line is OKT4 and/or Leu3a+ and OKT8 and/or Leu2a+, but interleukin 2 receptor (IL2R)- and HTLV-1 provirus genome negative, and has cytogenetically abnormal karyotypes. The cell line contains rearranged T-cell receptor beta-chain gene, which was identical in rearrangement pattern to the T-cell receptor beta-chain gene in primary cells. These results suggest that factors other than HTLV-1 may sometimes be associated with HTLV-1-negative ATL. The ATL-5T cell line we describe here is unique, and should contribute to further elucidation of the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of HTLV-1-negative ATL and HTLV-1-positive ATL.

DNA, Viral↗
PubMed1988

Soluble interleukin 2 receptors in sera of Japanese patients with adult T cell leukemia mark activity of disease.

Serum concentrations of soluble interleukin 2 receptors (sIL 2R) were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 30 patients with adult T cell leukemia (ATL), in 9 patients with other hematopoietic malignancies, and in 17 asymptomatic individuals seropositive for human T cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I). Sixty HTLV-I seronegative, age-matched controls showed a normal range of form 63.2 to 480.8 U/mL. All asymptomatic carriers of HTLV-I had sIL 2R in their sera within the normal range. sIL 2R in sera was not related to the anti-HTLV-I antibody titer. Eleven patients with acute ATL, a clinical phenotype with median survival rate of 4.4 months, had markedly elevated sIL 2R (11,100 to 99,000 U/mL), but eight patients with smoldering ATL had low sIL 2R values (less than 480.8 U/mL) comparable to controls. Eleven patients with chronic ATL had intermediate elevated levels of sIL 2R (480.8 to 37,300.0 U/mL). Serum levels of sIL 2R correlated with the number of ATL cells (r = 0.812) and CD25-positive cells (r = 0.725) circulating in the peripheral blood. Longitudinal studies performed in four patients with ATL showed significant correlation between serum concentration of sIL 2R and activity of the malignancy. These findings suggest that the level of sIL 2R in serum indicated tumor load and, possibly, prognosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Antigenic variations of retrovirus in Japanese cancer patients.

Previously we demonstrated the prevalence of human T lymphotropic virus type I (HTVL-I) infection among cancer patients in Japan. This study was carried out to examine antigenic properties of retroviruses prevalent among Japanese cancer patients. Sera of 126 Japanese patients with cancer of different organs and with no history of blood transfusion, 94 in adult T cell leukemia (ATL)-endemic area and 32 in ATL-nonendemic area, were surveyed for antibodies to HTLV-I and HTLV-II by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Western blot analysis, and indirect immunogold electron microscopy. Among patients who were seropositive to HTLV-I, 39 of 56 (69.6%) in ATL-endemic area and 9 of 9 (100%) in ATL-nonendemic area were seropositive also to HTLV-II. Of 48 sera positive to both HTLV-I and HTLV-II, 34 (70.8%) showed stronger reactivities to HTLV-I than to HTLV-II. Among patients who were seronegative to HTLV-I, 3 of 38 (7.9%) in ATL-endemic area and 5 of 23 (21.7%) in ATL-nonendemic area were seropositive to HTLV-II. Antibodies appearing and disappearing in sera of patients examined during the clinical course reacted with peptide species of HTLV-I and/or HTLV-II not always consistent with peptide species cross-reactive between HTLV-I and HTLV-II. These results indicate the antigenic diversity of retroviruses prevalent among Japanese cancer patients.

Antigenic Variation↗
PubMed1985

Adult T leukemia cells produce a lymphokine that augments interleukin 2 receptor expression.

Human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV)-infected cell lines derived from adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) express constitutively the receptor for Interleukin-2 (IL-2-R) and the associated antigen (Tac antigen). In contrast, the same antigen is transiently expressed by normal T-cells only after immune stimulation. Recently, it was reported that the constitutively expressed Tac antigen on ATL cells and cell lines was not down-regulated or modulated by anti-Tac antibody. Since the antigen was modulated on normal mitogen- or alloantigen-stimulated T-cells, we postulated that the regulation of IL-2-R may be abnormal on ATL cells; the synthesis of IL-2-R is continuously stimulated in these cells. A unique HTLV/ATLV(-) cell line (YT) derived from a child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia was found to express low levels of Tac antigen that could be enhanced by various stimuli, including conditioned medium (CM) derived from normal lymphocytes, but not by lectins (PHA, Con A). Of particular interest, the exposure of YT cells to CM from ATL cell lines with helper phenotype revealed the presence of factor(s) (ATL-derived factor, ADF) that augmented the synthesis and expression of IL-2-R/Tac antigen on YT cells and promoted YT cell growth. CM from HTLV(-) leukemia cell lines lacked both IL-2-R augmenting activity and a growth promoting activity. Immunoaffinity-purified IL-2 and recombinant gamma interferon also lacked IL-2-R augmenting activity. Moreover, the physicochemical analysis with Fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) revealed that ADF was quite different in pI point from the IL-2-R augmenting activity in CM from normal lymphocytes. These results suggested that ADF is a unique product of HTLV(+) cells. The possible relationship between ADF production, HTLV infection, and the abnormal expression of IL-2-R is suggested, and these abnormalities may be advantageous for the leukemogenesis and abnormal growth of ATL.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Nakahara memorial lecture. Human T-cell leukemia virus type I: molecular biology and its implications in adult T-cell leukemia.

Isolation and characterization of the human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV) type I was carried out from patients with adult T-cell leukemia (ATL). Total nucleotide sequence of the provirus genome was determined and the HTLV was distinguished from other retroviruses by a unique gene pX and also by its extremely long R sequence in the long terminal repeat (LTR). HTLV was demonstrated to be a causative agent of ATL by monoclonal integration of the proviruses in ATL cells. However, nonspecific provirus integration in ATL cells disproved the direct insertional activation of a specific cellular onc gene, eventually suggesting that a transacting viral function was involved in the leukemogenesis. A gene product of the unique gene pX and trans-activation of the transcription by the product was identified. This pX gene function might explain the leukemogenesis in ATL. The mass-production of the env gene products and their identified function provided information useful for developing the systems for diagnosis and prevention of HTLV infection and ATL.

DNA, Viral↗
PubMed1983

Adult T-cell leukemia observed at Niigata University Hospital.

Eight patients with adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) were observed at Niigata University Hospital during the last seven years. They had typical hematological findings of ATL. All patients tested possessed both natural antibody against ATL-associated antigens (ATLA) in the serum and ATLA in peripheral mononuclear cells. These findings agree with the results of virological analysis in patients with ATL in other areas of Japan and human T-cell leukemia (HTL) in the U.S.A. Six out of the eight patients were native residents of Sado Island in Niigata Prefecture. They showed somewhat different clinical features from patients in other endemic areas and a variety of skin lesions. It was noticeable that the skin lesion regressed spontaneously in two patients. In view of the fact that the total population of this island is about 80,000, the incidence of ATL is thought to be high. Immunological studies were performed in our patients and the immunological background of ATL is discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

[Adult T cell leukemia virus (ATLV)--a serological study].

A nation-wide sero-epidemiologic survey of adult T-cell leukemia virus (ATLV) detected as anti-ATLA (ATLV-associated antigen) was made in Japan. Sera from adult donors in 15 different locations were screened for anti-ATLA. High incidences (6 to 37%) of antibody-positive donors were found in seven regions, one in northern Japan, and the others in southwestern regions. These areas are ATLV-endemic areas corresponding to ATL-endemic areas. Examination of sera from healthy donors aged 6 to 80 years in ATL-endemic areas showed an age-dependent increase of seropositive donors with a maximum of about 30% at 40 years of age. Anti-ATLA was found in all but two of 142 patients with ATL. Anti-ATLA-positive patients with ATL were mainly found in ATLV-endemic areas, and only a few in ATL-nonendemic areas. Six patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma in ATLV-nonendemic areas gave a negative reaction for anti-ATLA. The geometric mean titer of anti-ATLA of patients with ATL was higher than that of healthy donors.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Hematopoietic progenitor cells from patients with adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma are not infected with human T-cell leukemia virus type 1.

The in vivo host range of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) has not been definitively established. To determine if hematopoietic stem cells from patients with adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma (ATL) are infected with HTLV-1, we used a clonogenic progenitor assay followed by the polymerase chain reaction for the detection of HTLV-1 DNA. In vitro growth characteristics of myeloid (CFU-GM) and erythroid (BFU-E) progenitor cells among nonadherent T-cell-depleted bone marrow (BM) mononuclear cells (NA-T-MNCs) from 10 patients with ATL was not significantly different from those of HTLV-1-seronegative controls (P = .20); numbers of colonies per 1 x 10(5) NA-T-MNCs were 34.9 +/- 7.6 for CFU-GM and 39.0 +/- 12.5 for BFU-E in patients with ATL, whereas those were 32.1 +/- 9.5 for CFU-GM and 41.4 +/- 12.7 for BFU-E in normal controls. HTLV-1 DNA was not detected in individual colonies formed by CD34+ cells from any of the patients. Similarly HTLV-1 DNA was not detected in 1 x 10(3) CD34+ cells sorted on a fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) from six patients with ATL studied. In contrast, HTLV-1 DNA was detected in BM mononuclear cells from all patients. These observations clearly indicate that hematopoietic progenitor cells from patients with ATL are normal in their colony-forming capacity and that CD34+ cells from patients with ATL are not infected with HTLV-1 in vivo.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

A novel diagnostic method of adult T-cell leukemia: monoclonal integration of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I provirus DNA detected by inverse polymerase chain reaction.

Adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) is neoplasm of the mature helper T lymphocytes and human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-I (HTLV-I) has been shown to be causative virus of ATL. Because HTLV-I integrates its provirus randomly into host chromosomal DNA, monoclonal integration of HTLV-I provirus indicates the clonal proliferation of HTLV-I-infected cells. Therefore, demonstration of clonality of HTLV-I proviral DNA is essential to diagnosis of ATL. Southern blot analysis was used for this purpose. We developed the novel method using inverse polymerase chain reaction (IPCR) to detect the clonality of HTLV-I proviral DNA. This method identified the clonality in all ATL cases. Diagnosis could be made within 3 days using this method. It enabled us to detect specifically the presence of minimal numbers of ATL cells with high sensitivity. It also identified the monoclonal or oligoclonal proliferations of HTLV-I-infected cells in HTLV-I carriers and the intermediate state, in which no clonality could be shown by conventional Southern blot analyses. This finding indicated that even HTLV-I carriers had monoclonal proliferation of HTLV-I-infected cells without any symptoms. This novel method is shown to be useful for the diagnosis of ATL and provides information on the natural course of HTLV-I infection.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Recombinant single-chain immunotoxins against T and B cell leukemias.

Interleukin 2 (IL2) receptors (IL2R's) are found on malignant cells in many human leukemias and lymphomas and are expressed by activated T cells in many autoimmune disorders. Anti-Tac(Fv), a single-chain protein composed of the variable heavy and light domains of the anti-IL2R monoclonal antibody anti-Tac, can be genetically fused to derivatives of Pseudomonas exotoxin (PE) or diphtheria toxin (DT) to form potent immunotoxins. We have shown that anti-Tac(Fv) binds to low affinity IL2R's on fresh chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) cells and can target either toxin to kill those cells. Anti-Tac(Fv)-PE40, containing the truncated form of PE without its binding domain, was cytotoxic to malignant cells from 8 of 8 ATL patients tested, with IC50's ranging from 0.11 to 5.5 ng/ml. Anti-Tac(Fv)-PE40KDEL, a derivative of anti-Tac(Fv)-PE40 which contains the KDEL carboxyl terminus, was more cytotoxic toward cells from all ATL patients and also killed CLL cells from 8 of 16 patients. DT388-anti-Tac(Fv), containing amino acids 1-388 of DT fused to the amino terminus of anti-Tac(Fv), was less cytotoxic than anti-Tac(Fv)-PE40 on ATL cells from 4 of 5 patients, but was cytotoxic toward CLL cells from 12 of 16 patients. DT388-IL2, where IL2 is substituted for anti-Tac(Fv), is similar to DAB389IL2, an IL2-toxin currently in clinical trials. DT388-IL2 and DAB389IL2 differ by only a few amino acids and have equal cytotoxic activity. DT388-IL2 was cytotoxic toward ATL cells from all patients tested, but usually required much higher concentrations than anti-Tac(Fv)-PE40 and was poorly active against CLL cells. Thus, recombinant toxins containing anti-Tac(Fv) are cytotoxic toward freshly isolated CLL and ATL cells and will be studied further as potential therapy for IL2R-related disorders.

ADP Ribose Transferases↗
PubMed1994

Transient adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma picture during varicella infection in an HTLV-1 carrier.

HTLV-1 (human T-lymphotropic virus type 1) is associated with tropical spastic paraparesis, adult T-cell lymphoma (ATL), and also with opportunistic infections. The risk for developing ATL in HTLV-1 healthy carriers is low, between 1 and 4%. Nothing is known about the events promoting the evolution from the healthy carrier state to symptomatic ATL. We describe the case of a 44-year-old French Caribbean man with a chronic and recurrent strongyloidiasis in which the occurrence of a hemorrhagic and necrotic varicella led to the discovery of an infection by HTLV-1 and an acute form of ATL. All hematological data were normal before the onset of varicella. ATL completely disappeared at the same time as the varicella healed. This leads us to hypothesize that acute infections such as the reactivation of varicella-zoster may act as a promoting factor for the development of ATL in healthy HTLV-1 carriers.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Cytotoxicity of recombinant Fab and Fv immunotoxins on adult T-cell leukemia lymph node and blood cells in the presence of soluble interleukin-2 receptor.

Single-chain immunotoxins anti-Tac(Fv)-PE40 and anti-Tac(Fv)-PE40KDEL, composed of variable domains of the anti-Tac monoclonal antibody and truncated forms of Pseudomonas exotoxin, have shown potent cytotoxic activity against malignant peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) patients originating from the Caribbean. However, several clinically important issues have not previously been addressed. These include the potential of soluble interleukin 2 receptor in ATL patients to block immunotoxin effectiveness, the relative sensitivity of malignant lymph node cells (LNCs) versus PBMCs, the effect of an immunotoxin with a prolonged half-life, and finally whether ATL cells from patients in Japan have toxin sensitivity equal to those of the Caribbean patients. To resolve these questions, we studied 32 malignant PBMC and LNC samples from 30 ATL patients from Japan. PBMCs from 27 of 27 patients were very sensitive with 50% inhibition of protein synthesis achieved with 0.02-0.85 ng/ml (0.3-13 pM) of anti-Tac(Fv)-PE40KDEL or anti-Tac(Fv)-PE40. LNCs had sensitivity very similar to that of PBMCs in the five patients tested. The fully recombinant immunotoxin, anti-Tac(Fab)-PE40, which has 8-10 times the t1/2 alpha and beta compared to the Fv-immunotoxins, was also very cytotoxic toward cells from 27 of 27 patients tested with 50% inhibition of protein synthesis of 0.08-25 ng/ml. It was found that purified soluble interleukin 2 receptor added to the cytotoxicity assay decreased the cytotoxic activity of anti-Tac(Fv)-PE40KDEL or anti-Tac(Fab)-PE40, but that 1 x 10(4) units/ml or less had minimal competitive effects. It was found that ATL patients who have responded even incompletely to conventional chemotherapy have soluble interleukin 2 receptor levels lower than this at posttreatment. We conclude that recombinant immunotoxins containing anti-Tac(Fv) are effective against Japanese ATL PBMCs or LNCs and might be most effective if used in vivo after conventional chemotherapy. If it is found in humans that the effectiveness of single-chain recombinant toxins is limited by short half-life, anti-Tac(Fab)-PE40 should be considered as an alternative agent.

ADP Ribose Transferases↗
PubMed1993

Establishment of human T-cell leukemia virus type I T-cell lymphomas in severe combined immunodeficient mice.

Human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) is recognized as the etiologic agent of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL), a disease endemic in certain regions of southeastern Japan, Africa, and the Caribbean basin. Although HTLV-I can immortalize T lymphocytes in culture, factors leading to tumor progression after HTLV-I infection remain elusive. Previous attempts to propagate the ATL tumor cells in animals have been unsuccessful. Severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice have previously been used to support the survival of human lymphoid cell populations when inoculated with human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). SCID mice were injected intraperitoneally with PBL from patients diagnosed with ATL, HTLV-I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP), or from asymptomatic HTLV-I-seropositive patients. Many of these mice become persistently infected with HTLV-I. Furthermore, after human reconstitution was established in these mice, HTLV-I-infected cells displayed a proliferative advantage over uninfected human cells. Lymphoblastic lymphomas of human origin developed in animals injected with PBL from two ATL patients. The tumor cells represented outgrowth of the original ATL leukemic clone in that they had monoclonal or oligoclonal integrations of the HTLV-I provirus identical to the leukemic clone and predominantly expressed the cell surface markers, CD4 and CD25. In contrast, cell lines derived by HTLV immortalization of T cells in vitro did not persist or form tumors when inoculated into SCID mice, indicating differences between in vitro immortalized cells and ATL leukemic cells. This system represents the first small animal model to study HTLV-I tumorigenesis in vivo.

Animals↗