Inhibition of human T-cell leukemia virus type I replication in primary human T cells that express antisense RNA

The human T-cell leukemia virus type I is associated with adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma in humans, a disease which is induced by a malignant transformation of T lymphocytes. Retrovirus vectors carrying human T-cell leukemia virus type I-derived sequences in reversed transcriptional orientation were used to express antisense RNA transcripts in primary human leukocytes. Human T-cell leukemia virus type I replication and virus-mediated immortalization were inhibited in cells harboring antisense constructs. This study suggests that retrovirus-mediated antisense RNA inhibition can be used to protect primary human T-lymphocytes from human T-cell leukemia virus type I-mediated cell transformation.