Abstract
All currently known human retroviruses are T-cell lymphotropic viruses (HTLVs) and primarily infect T
4
cells (reviewed by Wong-Staal and Gallo
1
). HTLV-I immortalizes normal T lymphocytes in vitro, and in vivo is associated with adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma
2
3
4
5
as well as other T
4
neoplasms with various clinicopathological names.
6
HTLV-II also transforms T
4
cells, but has been detected only rarely in milder forms of leukemia
7
(and Salahuddin Z, Gallo RC: unpublished data). In contrast, HTLV-III (human immunodeficiency virus) is cytopathic to its target T
4
cell and is the etiologic agent of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
8
9
10
11
12
HTLV-IV, more . . .
