DETECTION OF THE CELLULAR MEMBRANE-PROTEINS ON HUMAN T-CELL LEUKEMIA-VIRUS TYPE-I

The presence of cellular membrane proteins on human T cell leukemia vi rus type I (HTLV-I) was examined. ICAM-1 and MHC-IIDR, which were high ly expressed on MT-2 cells but not on MOLT-4#8 cells, became detectabl e on HTLV-I-binding MOLT-4#8 cells. Furthermore, a batch of other cell ular molecules including LFA-1, ICAM-1, LFA-3, MHC-I, MHC-IIDR, and CD 4 became detectable on HTLV-I-binding BW5147 cells, a mouse T-lymphoma cell line, which were able to adsorb HTLV-I. The detectable levels of these molecules were correlated with those expressed on MT-2 cells. T he detectable levels of the cellular proteins of human decreased by pr etreatment of HTLV-I with sera from HTLV-I seropositive individuals bu t not from seronegatives. These results indicate that HTLV-I envelope carries cellular membrane proteins derived from the host cell.