Studies in healthy human T-cell-leukemia lymphoma virus (HTLV-I) carriers from the Caribbean

ABSTRACT

Six healthy relatives of 3 adult T-cell leukemia lymphoma (ATLL) patients and 6 members of a Caribbean family immigrant to the UK have been investigated for the presence of HTLV-I and expression of interleukin 2(IL-2) receptors. Serum antibodies to HTLV-I were detected in all but 4 samples. Four to 10 percent of circulating cells from 3/4 seropositive donors studied displayed IL-2 receptors (anti-Tac+) and were shown to be convoluted lymphocytes by light microscopy morphology and immunoelectromicroscopy. After 5 to 28 days in culture, cells from 4 seropositive donors reacted with monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against the HTLV-I core proteins, p19 and p24, and released retrovirus particles. Simmilar experiments with blood from 3 seronegative donors from the same families and 4 normal controls proved negative. Our findings indicate that seropositive individuals harbour the virus in a population of T-lymphocytes which may then acquire receptors for IL-2. These individuals are at risk of developing ATLL. (AU)