FIG. 4.

Inhibition of cell-cell transfer of HTLV-1 as detected by qPCR. (a) MT-2 cells were treated or not treated (n.t.) with 100 μM PRO 2000, 10 μM peptide, or the corresponding amount of DMSO as a control for up to 6 days. Immediately and 2, 4, and 6 days after the addition of compounds, cells were harvested, DNA was extracted, and a qPCR was performed to detect viral pol and cellular alb sequences. Values are viral genome numbers per albumin gene copies per cell. (b) MT-2 or Jurkat cells were cultured alone or cocultured in equal numbers for up to 72 h. (c) MT-2 cells were treated with inhibitors or control compounds for 10 min prior to and during coculture with Jurkat cells for 72 h. Data in panels a and b are means ± 1 SD of representative results from one experiment performed in triplicate, and data in panel c are the means of results from three independent experiments performed in triplicate; error bars represent the SEM. ***, P < 0.001 as determined by one-way analysis of variance followed by Bonferroni's multiple-comparison posttest.