Pathogenesis and treatment of human T-cell leukemia virus infection

The pathogenesis of human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV)-induced adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma (ATLL) was explored using an infectious molecular viral clone and a transgenic mouse model. Activation of nuclear factor-κB by the HTLV transcriptional trans-activator protein Tax was found to be important for lymphocyte immortalization and tumorigenesis. Interferon-γ regulates tumor development owing primarily to angiostatic effects. Translational clinical studies of chemotherapy, interferon-α, and nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors have also assisted in identifying the pathogenic features of ATLL.