Differential susceptibility to the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome retrovirus in cloned cells of human leukemic T-cell line Molt-4.

Cells of human leukemic T-cell line Molt-4 which were cloned in soft agarose from individual colonies were analyzed for the cytopathic effect and viral antigen expression after human T-cell lymphotropic virus type III infection. The induction of cytopathic effect and viral antigens by the infection varied significantly among the different cell clones. These clones did not show significant differences in the amount of OKT-4 antigen, a possible surface receptor for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome virus. Moreover, the virus-producing ability and the susceptibility to the virus of each clone appeared to be separable.