       Document 0392
 DOCN  M9610392
 TI    Higher expression levels of alternatively spliced pX mRNA in human T
       lymphotropic virus type I asymptomatic carriers positive for antibodies
       to p40tax protein.
 DT    9601
 AU    Hirata M; Ikematsu H; Nakashima K; Hayashi J; Kashiwagi S; Department of
       General Medicine, Kyushu University Hospital,; Fukuoka, Japan.
 SO    J Infect Dis. 1995 Oct;172(4):1098-102. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/96029383
 AB    cDNA of human T lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) pX gene mRNA
       expressed in peripheral blood lymphocytes of asymptomatic carriers was
       sequenced. One cDNA clone contained a novel splicing acceptor site,
       indicating an unidentified form of pX mRNA: pX delta 17 delta 37. All 21
       asymptomatic carriers expressed some level of alternatively spliced pX
       mRNA (pX, pX delta 17, p21rex, orfII, or pX delta 17 delta 37). pX and
       pX delta 17 were the dominant mRNA species among the five pX mRNAs. All
       pX mRNAs but orfII correlated significantly with amounts of provirus DNA
       (P < .05). Levels of provirus DNA and pX mRNAs were significantly higher
       in anti-p40tax-positive carriers than in negative ones. These
       observations suggest that the pX mRNAs are expressed ubiquitously, with
       a complex pattern of splicing, and that the presence of anti-p40tax may
       serve as a marker for a higher virus load and viral replication levels
       in asymptomatic HTLV-I carriers.
 DE    Aged  Aged, 80 and over  *Alternative Splicing  Base Sequence  *Carrier
       State  Cloning, Molecular  Comparative Study  DNA,
       Complementary/GENETICS  DNA, Viral/BLOOD  Female  Gene Products,
       tax/IMMUNOLOGY  Human  HTLV-I Antibodies/*BLOOD  HTLV-I
       Infections/*BLOOD/EPIDEMIOLOGY/IMMUNOLOGY  Japan/EPIDEMIOLOGY
       Lymphocytes/VIROLOGY  Male  Middle Age  Molecular Sequence Data
       Proviruses/ISOLATION & PURIF  Retroviridae Proteins, Oncogenic/*GENETICS
       RNA, Messenger/BLOOD  Sequence Analysis, DNA  JOURNAL ARTICLE

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

