Hahn B H, Shaw G M, Arya S K, Popovic M, Gallo R C, Wong-Staal F
Nature. 1984;312(5990):166-9. doi: 10.1038/312166a0.
We recently reported the isolation and characterization of a novel human T-lymphotropic retrovirus, HTLV-III, in patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and in those at risk for the disease. After extensive sero-epidemiological studies, together with numerous virus isolations from these patients, we concluded that HTLV-III is the causative agent of AIDS. Here we report the molecular cloning and characterization of two highly related but distinct forms of the HTLV-III genome. The viral genome is approximately 10 kilobases long and is detected in HTLV-III-infected cells but not in uninfected cells, including normal human tissue, indicating that this virus is exogenous to man. We also demonstrate distant nucleic acid sequence homology between the cloned genome of HTLV-III and those of HTLV-I and HTLV-II. The availability of the cloned HTLV-III genome will now allow an unambiguous comparison of this virus with other retroviruses that also have been associated with the pathogenesis of AIDS, and moreover, with facilitate the development of diagnostic and therapeutic measures in the treatment of AIDS.
我们最近报道了在获得性免疫缺陷综合征（艾滋病）患者及有患该疾病风险的人群中分离并鉴定出一种新型人类嗜T淋巴细胞逆转录病毒，即HTLV-III。经过广泛的血清流行病学研究，以及从这些患者身上进行多次病毒分离后，我们得出结论，HTLV-III是艾滋病的病原体。在此我们报告HTLV-III基因组两种高度相关但又不同形式的分子克隆及特性。病毒基因组约10千碱基长，在HTLV-III感染的细胞中可检测到，但在未感染的细胞中（包括正常人体组织）未检测到，这表明该病毒对人类来说是外源性的。我们还证明了HTLV-III克隆基因组与HTLV-I和HTLV-II克隆基因组之间存在远缘核酸序列同源性。现在，克隆的HTLV-III基因组的可得性将使得能够明确地将这种病毒与其他也与艾滋病发病机制相关的逆转录病毒进行比较，而且，将有助于开发艾滋病治疗中的诊断和治疗措施。
