Establishment of HTLV-1 carrier mice by injection with HTLV-1-producing T cells.

We injected with HTLV-1-producing T-cells, MT-2, into C3H/HeJ and Balb/c mice intraperitoneally within 24 hours after birth and at one week old. At 3 months old, HTLV-1 provirus was detected in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in both mice. It was also detected in lymph nodes, thymus, spleen and liver of those mice. The antibody response against HTLV-1 Gag antigen was detected in some of Balb/c mice. These findings suggest that the C3H/HeJ and Balb/c mice were infected with HTLV-1 persistently. The HTLV-1-infected mice should be helpful for studying the pathological state of HTLV-1 carriers and for an establishment of a small animal model of HTLV-1 related diseases including ATL.