HTLV-1 and Adult T-Cell Leukemia: Insights into Viral Transformation of Cells 30 Years After Virus Discovery

Abstract

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1), the etiological agent of adult T-cell leukemia, was the first human retrovirus to be isolated. It is now the 30th anniversary of the initial discovery of HTLV-1. This review discusses recent insights into the role of the HTLV-1 Tax oncoprotein in cellular proliferation and the abrogation of cellular checkpoints that lead to disease progression.

Keywords

• adult T cell leukemia
• aneuploidy
• HTLV
• p53
• spindle assembly checkpoint