The involvement of retroviruses in human T cell leukaemias and lymphomas

Philbey, Adrian W. (2003) The involvement of retroviruses in human T cell leukaemias and lymphomas. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

Human T lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-I) causes adult T cell leukaemia/lymphoma (ATL), a neoplasm of CD4+ T cells. The related virus HTLV-I I has been isolated from cases of CD8+ T cell variant hairy cell leukaemia but has not been definitively associated with neoplasia. Bovine leukaemia virus (BLV), which causes B cell leukaemia and lymphoma in cattle, belongs to the same group of retroviruses. The hypothesis tested in this study was that HTLV-I, HTLV-II or related viruses are associated with T cell leukaemias and lymphomas in the United Kingdom, particularly mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sezary syndrome (SS). A combination of cell and molecular biology techniques was used in an attempt to identify retroviruses in patients with these neoplasms. Lymphocytes were cultivated from blood, skin and lymph nodes of patients with cutaneous lymphoid infiltrates to establish continuous T cell lines that might propagate HTLV-I, HTLV-II or related retroviruses. Techniques for the establishment of cultures included stimulation with mitogens, cytokines, conditioned medium and cocultivation. Cultured cells were examined for evidence of retroviruses by electron microscopy (EM), reverse transcriptase (RT) assay and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). No retroviruses were isolated from 158 cultures initiated from 18 patients with cutaneous T cell lymphomas (predominantly MF and SS) and three patients with cutaneous B cell lymphomas (CBCLs). Four interleukin 2-dependent CD8.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Keywords: Virology.
• Colleges/Schools: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine
• Supervisor's Name: Jarrett, Prof. Ruth
• Date of Award: 2003
• Depositing User: Enlighten Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:2003-71030
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 09 May 2019 14:28
• Last Modified: 03 Jun 2021 09:23
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/71030