HTLV-1 p30II and p12I Proteins as Therapeutic Targets in HTLV-1 Infected Individuals
Description of Invention:
The invention provides methods that use the HTLV-1 protein p30II for identification of new drugs able to contain expansion of HTLV-1 virus infected cells and methods of using the identified compounds for treating patients with retroviral infection. The present invention is based upon discovery that viral proteins p30II and p12I are likely essential for the survival of HTLV-1 infected cells. Working in concert these proteins allow the replication of the infected cells while avoiding immune recognition of the host. The data indicate that both p30II and p12I can be employed as therapeutic targets in containing replication of HTLV-1 infected cells, which in turn will decrease an HTLV-1 infected patient's chance of developing manifestations associated with HTLV-1 infection, e.g. adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma and tropical spastic paraperesis/HTLV-1 associated myelopathy.
Inventors:
Genoveffa Franchini and Christophe Nicot (NCI)
For Additional Information Please Contact: Sally Hu PhD MBA
NIH Office of Technology Transfer
6011 Executive Blvd, Suite 325
Rockville, MD 20852-3804
Phone: (301) 435-5606
Email: hus@mail.nih.gov
Fax: (301) 402-0220
