Figure 3.

HTLV-1 enhancer element is dispensable for early in vivo viral persistence. Lethally irradiated 729 HTLV-1.wt or 729 HTLV-1.mEnhancer producer cells were inoculated into 14-week-old, male New Zealand white rabbits via the lateral ear vein. Blood was collected at Week 0 (pre-inoculation) and Weeks 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 25 post-infection (study endpoint) for plasma and rabbit PBMC (rPBMC) isolation. (A) Genomic DNA was isolated from rPBMCs and subjected to qPCR to detect proviral load using a primer and probe set specific to HTLV-1 Gag/pol. (B) Plasma was isolated from whole blood to measure the HTLV-specific antibody response using the Avioq HTLV-I/II Microelisa System. Absorbance was measured at 450 nm. In each of the graphs, unique symbols represent proviral load and antibody response for a single inoculated rabbit over time and bars represent the mean. Linear mixed-effects analyses were performed and multiple comparisons were adjusted by Tukey’s method.