A novel adult T cell leukemia-derived cell line (SALT-3) susceptible to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection

A novel human T cell line (SALT-3) was established from the pleural effusion of a patient with adult T cell leukemia (ATL) of lymphoma type. SALT-3 showed atypical T cell markers such as CD1-CD2-CD3-CD4+CD5+CD7+CD8-CD19-CD20-CD25+HLA-DR+. T cell receptor alpha/beta and gamma/delta were undetectable. Human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-I) particles were seen on SALT-3 cells by electron microscopic analysis. HTLV-I gag p19, proviral DNA and mRNA of HTLV-I genes were also detected in the cells. Chromosome analysis showed abnormal karyotypes as 47, XY, partial trisomy of No.3 chromosome, and trisomy of No. 7 chromosome. Furthermore, SALT-3 were susceptible to the infection of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and the cells were rapidly killed after HIV-1 infection. This newly established HTLV-I-infected human T cell line would be a useful tool to study biological activities of atypical type of ATL cells and to examine the cytotoxic effects of HIV-1 and it's modulators.