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Updated: May 25, 2025

Retroviral Scanning: Mapping MLV Integration Sites to Define Cell-specific Regulatory Regions
Published on: May 28, 2017
Viral oncogenesis of δ-retroviruses, HTLV-1 and BLV, and recent advances in its diagnosis
Md Belal Hossain1, Benjy Jek Yang Tan2, Yorifumi Satou3
1Division of Genomics and Transcriptomics, Joint Research Center for Human Retrovirus Infection, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan; Department of Food Microbiology, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Science, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Patuakhali-8602, Bangladesh.
Abstract:
The δ-retrovirus genus includes human T-cell leukemia viruses (HTLV-1, HTLV-2, HTLV-3), simian T-lymphotropic viruses (STLV), and bovine leukemia viruses (BLV), which establish lifelong, typically asymptomatic, infections. However, HTLV-1 and BLV can lead to leukemia or lymphoma in 2-5% of infected hosts after prolonged latency. HTLV-1, the first identified human oncogenic retrovirus, drives T-cell leukemia/lymphoma via cell-intrinsic mechanisms. Similarly, BLV induces B-cell lymphoma in cattle, sharing key genomic and disease progression features with HTLV-1. Retrovirus-induced leukemias/lymphomas arise through complex interactions of viral and host factors. This review explores current virological perspectives on δ-retroviral oncogenesis, focusing on proviral integration sites within the host genome. Additionally, we briefly compare HTLV-1 with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), highlighting that while HIV causes AIDS, it also induces clonal expansion of infected cells. Finally, we discuss the potential diagnostic and prognostic value of analyzing viral factors and integration sites.
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