[Detection of HTLV-ImRNA by in situ hybridization technique using biotinylated oligonucleotide probe].

The expressions of human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) mRNA in the HTLV-I-infected lymphocytes were studied in the peripheral blood of two HTLV-I carriers and of three patients with adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) (acute, chronic and lymphoma types) by in situ hybridization technique using two biotinylated single-stranded oligodeoxynucleotide probes complementary to different nucleotide sequences in the mRNA for the HTLV-IpX region. A low percentage of leukocytes (1.5-7.4%) reacted with the probes in ATL patients, while less than 1% of leukocytes was reactive in HTLV-I carriers. These results indicate that a part of ATL cells express the HTLV-IpX, which is thought to be involved in the leukemogenesis of ATL in the peripheral blood of the patients.