Prevalence of HTLV-I-associated T-cell lymphoma.

In order to assess the prevalence rate of HTLV-1-associated T-cell lymphomas and human retrovirus infection in general, approximately 21,000 individuals representing various patient populations, retroviral risk groups, and blood donors were examined for HTLV-I, HTLV-II, HIV-1, or HIV-2 infection using serologic and PCR assays. The prevalence rates among volunteer blood donors were 0.02% and 0% for HTLV and HIV, respectively.

Regional localization of the putative cell surface receptor for HTLV-I to human chromosome 17q23.2-17q25.3.

The gene for the cell surface receptor for HTLV-I, the etiologic agent of adult T-cell leukemia and HTLV-I-associated myelopathy, has been localized to distal human chromosome 17q. A panel of somatic cell hybrids containing fragments of human 17q as the only human genetic component was mapped with a set of 10 chromosome 17 probes and utilized to regionally localize the gene. When compared to the murine fibroblast fusion partner, L-M(TK-), and a hybrid cell line containing human chromosome 20, human 17q-containing hybrid cells bound high levels of both HTLV-I virions and the monoclonal antibody, Mab 34-23, which may be directed against the putative HTLV-I receptor.

Identification of human T cell leukemia/lymphoma virus type I antibodies, DNA, and protein in patients with polymyositis.

Objective: To investigate a possible association between human T cell leukemia/lymphoma virus type I (HTLV-I) and polymyositis (PM).

Methods: Sera and muscle biopsy samples from 9 Jamaican PM patients were compared with specimens from American HTLV-I-positive PM patients and normal controls. Sera were evaluated for HTLV antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot.

Microplate-based DNA hybridization assays for detection of human retroviral gene sequences.

Nonisotopic, microwell-based DNA hybridization assays for the specific detection of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) gag, human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) pol, and HTLV-II pol DNA sequences were evaluated. The performances of these detection kits (Gene Detective enzyme oligonucleotide assays; Cellular Products, Inc., Buffalo, N.