Yma. Chen et al., ANTIBODY REACTIVITIES TO TUMOR-SUPPRESSOR PROTEIN P53 AND HTLV-I TOF,REX AND TAX IN HTLV-I-INFECTED PEOPLE WITH DIFFERING CLINICAL STATUS, International journal of cancer, 71(2), 1997, pp. 196-202
Since the presence of anti-p53 antibody has been correlated with the m
utation and accumulation of p53, the aim of this study was to detect a
nti-p53 antibody and understand its correlations with anti-Tof, -Rex,
or -Tax antibody reactivity in HTLV-I infected people differing in the
ir clinical status. A plasmid (pGEX-Tof) was constructed to express To
f recombinant protein (RP) in Escherichia coli, Serum samples from 50
asymptomatic carriers (ACs), 50 adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) and 50 HTL
V-I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) patie
nts were assayed for reactivity with different RPs by Western immunobl
otting, The results showed that 2% of ACs, 4% of ATL patients and 6% o
f HAM/TSP patients had anti-p53 antibody, Therefore, anti-p53 antibody
is not a useful serological marker for clinical management of HTLV-I
infected people, Only 1 HAM/TSP patient had anti-Tof antibody whose sp
ecificity was further confirmed by antibody competition enzyme immunoa
ssay. This study demonstrates that Tof protein is immunogenic in vivo,
suggesting that it plays a role in the life cycle and pathogenesis of
HTLV-I, The rate of anti-Rex antibody among HAM/TSP patients was sign
ificantly higher than that of ACs or ATL patients, In addition, 50% of
ACs, 42% of ATL and 98% of HAM/TSP patients had anti-Tax antibody, Mc
Nemar's test showed that the presence of anti-p53 antibody did not hav
e any correlation with the anti-Tax antibody in HTLV-I-infected people
, while the correlation between anti-p53 and anti-Rex antibodies or an
ti-p53 and anti-Tof antibodies cannot be ruled out in this study. (C)
1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.