Retrovirology (Mar 2007)

Mechanisms of leukemogenesis induced by bovine leukemia virus: prospects for novel anti-retroviral therapies in human

  • Burny Arsène,
  • Defoiche Julien,
  • Bouzar Amel-Baya,
  • Balon Hervé,
  • Vandermeers Fabian,
  • Nigro Annamaria,
  • Burteau Catherine,
  • Boxus Mathieu,
  • Florins Arnaud,
  • Gillet Nicolas,
  • Reichert Michal,
  • Kettmann Richard,
  • Willems Luc

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1742-4690-4-18
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 4, no. 1
p. 18

Abstract

Read online

Abstract In 1871, the observation of yellowish nodules in the enlarged spleen of a cow was considered to be the first reported case of bovine leukemia. The etiological agent of this lymphoproliferative disease, bovine leukemia virus (BLV), belongs to the deltaretrovirus genus which also includes the related human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1). This review summarizes current knowledge of this viral system, which is important as a model for leukemogenesis. Recently, the BLV model has also cast light onto novel prospects for therapies of HTLV induced diseases, for which no satisfactory treatment exists so far.