Characterization of a monoclonal antibody reacting with a neutral glycolipid that is associated with human T-cell leukemia virus type I infection and freshly isolated adult T-cell leukemia.

During attempts to make antibodies cross-reactive with human lymphocytes, we established a monoclonal antibody (VJ-41) from the alloimmunization of mice, that is, B10.A(3R) anti-B10.A(5R). VJ-41 reacted with all cases of freshly isolated adult T-cell leukemia cells (36 cases) but not with cells from other hematological disorders (more than 50 cases). Human T-cell leukemia virus Type I healthy carriers also seemed to possess these VJ-41 antigen positive cells. However, in vitro established adult T-cell leukemia cell lines did not show the reactivity with VJ-41. Normal lymphocytes from humans or mice apparently did not carry this antigen, but mitogen activated lymphocytes or some in vitro maintained malignant cell lines of both human and mouse origins showed positive reaction. Having established solid phase radioimmunoassay to detect the VJ-41 antigen in plasma, it was found that healthy human T-cell leukemia virus Type I carriers, but not the majority of adult T-cell leukemia patients, predominantly possessed this antigen. Even though immunochemical characterizations of cellular materials were unsuccessful, a certain neutral glycolipid was detected from healthy human T-cell leukemia virus Type I carrier plasma by using thin-layer chromatography and immunostaining with the VJ-41 antibody.