Expression of survivin in HTLV-I-infected T-cell lines and primary ATL cells

Human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) is the etiological agent of adu lt T-cell leukemia (ATL), although the precise mechanisms involved in the t ransformation process have not get been defined. Deregulated inhibition of apoptosis may facilitate the insurgence of leukemia. Survivin is an inhibit or of apoptosis and considered to play a role in oncogenesis, We investigat ed the expression of survivin in HTLV-I-infected T-cell lines and primary,A TL cells. Northern blob analysis showed expression of survivin transcript i n all 9 HTLV-I-positive T-cell lines. High survivin expression levels were detected in primary sells of patients with acute-type ATL, but no such expr ession was noted in the cells of chronic-type ATL or normal peripheral bloo d mononuclear cells. Treatment of an HTLV-I-infected T-cell line, MT-I, wit h survivin specific antisense oligonucleotide resulted in reduced cell grow th, Our results suggest that expression of survivin may play an important r ole in the development and pathogenesis of ATL. (C) 2001 Academic Press.