Productive infection and cell-free transmission of human T-cell leukemia virus in a nonlymphoid cell line.

Human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV), American PL isolate, was transmitted by cocultivation and by cell-free filtrates to a nonlymphoid human osteogenic sarcoma (HOS) cell line, designated HOS/PL, but not to nine other lines bearing receptors for HTLV. HOS and HOS/PL cells are not dependent on interleukin-2 and do not express interleukin-2 receptors that are recognized by anti-Tac monoclonal antibody. HTLV released by the Japanese MT2 cell line was also transmitted to HOS cells. The infected HOS cells release substantial titers of progeny HTLV which is antigenically indistinguishable from parental virus and is able to transform T cells.