Abstract
THE ISOLATION and characterization of the human T-cell leukemia-lymphoma virus (HTLV)<sup>1-5</sup>and its relationship to adult T-cell leukemia (ATL)<sup>6-8</sup>represent the remarkable convergence of scientific discoveries made half a world apart. The discovery of HTLV represents the culmination of a search for a true human retrovirus (type C virus) that dates back more than 50 years. Almost simultaneous to this breakthrough was the remarkable recognition of a distinctive clinicopathologic entity, ATL.<sup>9-11</sup>The molecular and clinical studies summarized in this review represent a scientific tale of two cities, Bethesda, Md, and Kyoto, Japan. <h3>HTLV: A Prototype Human Retrovirus</h3> In numerous animal species, naturally occurring leukemias or lymphomas are caused by retroviruses (also known as type C viruses, RNA tumor viruses, leukemia viruses).<sup>12-14</sup>This class of virus is characterized by a replication cycle requiring integration of the viral genetic material in the form of a provirus into host
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