HTLV-V: a New Human Retrovirus Isolated in a Tac-Negative T Cell Lymphoma/Leukemia

• DOI: 10.1126/science.2825353
• Publication Date: 2006-10-05T20:28:58Z
• Authors: Vittorio Manzari; Angela Gismondi; Giovanni Barillari; Stefania Morrone; Andrea Modesti; Loredana Albonici; Laura De Marchis; Vito Fazio; Angela Gradilone; Massimo Zani; Luigi Frati; Angela Santoni
• Keywords: Male; Microscopy; Leukemia; Lymphoma; T-Lymphocytes; 610; Male; Leukemia; Deltaretrovirus; Lymphoma; Microscopy, Electron; Female; Antigens, Viral; T-Lymphocytes; Humans; Electron; Deltaretrovirus; 3. Good health; Microscopy, Electron; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; T-Lymphocyte; Settore MED/04 - PATOLOGIA GENERALE; Deltaretroviru; Humans; Female; Viral; Antigens; Antigens, Viral

A new human retrovirus was isolated from a continuous cell line derived from a patient with CD4 + Tac - cutaneous T cell lymphoma/leukemia. This virus is related to but distinct from human T cell leukemia/lymphoma virus types I and II (HTLV-I and HTLV-II) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1). With the use of a fragment of provirus cloned from one patient with T cell leukemia, closely related sequences were found in DNA of the cell line and of tumor cells from seven other patients with the same disease; these sequences were only distantly related to HTLV-I. The phenotype of the cells and the clinical course of the disease were clearly distinguishable from leukemia associated with HTLV-I. All patients and the wife of one patient showed a weak serological cross-reactivity with both HTLV-I and HIV-1 antigens. None of the patients proved to be at any apparent risk for HIV-1 infection. The name proposed for this virus is HTLV-V, and the date indicate that it may be a primary etiological factor in the major group of cutaneous T cell lymphomas/leukemias, including the sporadic lymphomas known as mycoses fungoides.