Human T lymphotropic virus types I- and II-specific antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity: strain specificity and epitope mapping.

Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) against human T lymphotropic virus (HTLV) types I and II was investigated using sera obtained from infected individuals or from rabbits immunized with HTLV-I or -II envelope peptides. Target cells included an HTLV-I-transformed cell line (C91/PL), an HTLV-II-transformed cell line (729pH6neo), and Epstein Barr virus (EBV)-transformed B lymphocytes expressing HTLV-I or -II env or gag gene products after infection with vaccinia/HTLV recombinants. ADCC activity was directed at HTLV-I and -II envelope glycoproteins but not against core (gag) components. In contrast to the human immunodeficiency virus system, significant cross-reactivity between HTLV-I- and -II-directed ADCC activity was observed. Epitope mapping studies using sera from rabbits that had been immunized with HTLV-I or -II envelope peptides suggested that the critical epitopes for ADCC activity are located primarily in hydrophilic regions of the exterior (gp46) part of the envelope glycoprotein.