Document 0044
 DOCN  M9580044
 TI    Isolation and molecular characterization of a human T-cell lymphotropic
       virus type II (HTLV-II), subtype B, from a healthy Pygmy living in a
       remote area of Cameroon: an ancient origin for HTLV-II in Africa.
 DT    9506
 AU    Gessain A; Mauclere P; Froment A; Biglione M; Le Hesran JY; Tekaia F;
       Millan J; de The G; Unite d'Epidemiologie des Virus Oncogenes, Institut
       Pasteur,; Paris, France.
 SO    Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1995 Apr 25;92(9):4041-5. Unique Identifier :
       AIDSLINE GENBANK/Z46889
 AB    We report characterization of a human T-cell lymphotropic virus type II
       (HTLV-II) isolated from an interleukin 2-dependent CD8 T-cell line
       derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of a healthy,
       HTLV-II-seropositive female Bakola Pygmy, aged 59, living in a remote
       equatorial forest area in south Cameroon. This HTLLV-II isolate,
       designated PYGCAM-1, reacted in an indirect immunofluorescence assay
       with HTLV-II and HTLV-I polyclonal antibodies and with an HTLV-I/II gp46
       monoclonal antibody but not with HTLV-I gag p19 or p24 monoclonal
       antibodies. The cell line produced HTLV-I/II p24 core antigen and
       retroviral particles. The entire env gene (1462 bp) and most of the long
       terminal repeat (715 bp) of the PYGCAM-1 provirus were amplified by the
       polymerase chain reaction using HTLV-II-specific primers. Comparison
       with the long terminal repeat and envelope sequences of prototype
       HTLV-II strains indicated that PYGCAM-1 belongs to the subtype B group,
       as it has only 0.5-2% nucleotide divergence from HTLV-II B strains. The
       finding of antibodies to HTLV-II in sera taken from the father of the
       woman in 1984 and from three unrelated members of the same population
       strongly suggests that PYGCAM-1 is a genuine HTLV-II that has been
       present in this isolated population for a long time. The low genetic
       divergence of this African isolate from American isolates raises
       questions about the genetic variability over time and the origin and
       dissemination of HTLV-II, hitherto considered to be predominantly a New
       World virus.
 DE    Adult  Antibodies  Antibodies, Monoclonal  Base Sequence  Cameroon  Case
       Report  Cloning, Molecular  DNA Primers  Ethnic Groups  Female  Gene
       Products, gag/BIOSYNTHESIS  Genes, Viral  Human  HTLV-I
       Antigens/BIOSYNTHESIS  HTLV-II/*CLASSIFICATION/GENETICS/*ISOLATION &
       PURIF  Male  Molecular Sequence Data  Negroid Race  *Phylogeny
       Polymerase Chain Reaction  Support, Non-U.S. Gov't  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).