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In vitro thermal enhancement of human T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma virus type I (HTLV-I) in HTLV-I-transformed cells
D Sun1, D W Archibald, J J Sauk
1Department of Pathology, School of Dentistry, University of Maryland, Baltimore 21201.
Abstract:
Temperature elevation constitutes a beneficial component of the host defence against viral pathogens. However, heat treatment may be detrimental to HTLV-I-infected cells by increasing virion and oncoprotein production. We investigated the effects of thermal elevation on the in vitro replication of HTLV-I (human T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma virus type I) in MT-2 cells, an HTLV-I-transformed lymphoid cell line. We found that HTLV-I replication in MT-2 cells was markedly increased as demonstrated by a nearly 2-fold increase in detection of viral p24 antigen and a 20-fold increase in reverse transcriptase activity during up to 5 h of heat treatment at 42 degrees C. The results suggest that physiologic thermal elevations may induce viral production in HTLV-I-infected individuals.