[Serological study of the antibody to the adult T-cell leukemia-virus-associated antigen in various hematological diseases].

A serological study of antibody to adult T-cell leukemia-virus-associated antigen (anti-HTLV-I antibody) was made in 170 cases of various hematological diseases at Shikoku Cancer Center Hospital. The titer of anti-HTLV-I antibody was determined by indirect immunofluorescence using the MT-2 cell line. Two of two patients with ATL were positive for antibody. In non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, six of 18 cases of T-cell phenotype were positive (33%), while two of 29 cases of B-cell phenotype were antibody-positive (7%). Some cases of leukemia and aplastic anemia, who had received multiple blood transfusions, were found to be seropositive. Our results suggest that anti-HTLV-I antibody may be related to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with T-cell phenotype as well as ATL.