TRANSGENIC MOUSE MODELS FOR HTLV-I INFECTION

Human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) was the first human retrov irus isolated and is responsible for at: least one form of human leuke mia. The pathogenic mechanism(s) whereby HTLV transforms T lymphocytes in vivo is(are) obscure due to its long-term latency and the lack of practical representative animal models. The tax gene of HTLV-I has bee n implicated in this transformation process because of its ability to transactivate several cellular genes associated with T-cell replicatio n and activation. Here, transgenic mouse models are discussed that exp ress the Tax protein of HTLV-I and provide insights into its role in t he cellular transformation process.