Can thymic epithelial cells be infected by human T-lymphotropic virus type 1?

Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz

Klaysa Moreira-ramos¹  Flávia Madeira Monteiro De Castro¹  Leandra Linhares-lacerda¹  Wilson Savino¹ 

[1] ,Fiocruz Instituto Oswaldo Cruz Laboratório de Pesquisas sobre o TimoRio de Janeiro RJ ,Brasil

关键词: thymic epithelial cells;    HTLV-1 infection;    adult T cell leukaemia;    cell adhesion;   

DOI  :  10.1590/S0074-02762011000600018

来源: SciELO

【 摘 要 】

The human T-lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-1) is the cause of adult T cell leukaemias/lymphoma. Because thymic epithelial cells (TEC) express recently defined receptors for the virus, it seemed conceivable that these cells might be a target for HTLV-1 infection. We developed an in vitro co-culture system comprising HTLV-1+-infected T cells and human TECs. Infected T cells did adhere to TECs and, after 24 h, the viral proteins gp46 and p19 were observed in TECs. After incubating TECs with culture supernatants from HTLV-1+-infected T cells, we detected gp46 on TEC membranes and the HTLV-1 tax gene integrated in the TEC genome. In conclusion, the human thymic epithelium can be infected in vitro by HTLV-1, not only via cell-cell contact, but also via exposure to virus-containing medium.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
 All the contents of this journal, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License