HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Mita, S. Articles by Araki, S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Mita, S. Articles by Araki, S.

Increased Human T Lymphotropic Virus Type-1 (HTLV-1) Proviral Dna in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells and Bronchoalveolar Lavage Cells from Japanese Patients with HTLV-1-Associated Myelopathy

Human T lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-1)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is endemic in tropical areas and in southwestern Japan, and has now been identified among risk groups in the United States and some European countries. Patients with HAM/TSP may also have T lymphocyte alveolitis related to the HTLV-1 infection. To quantify proportions of HTLV-1-infected cells, a fragment of HTLV-1 proviral DNA was amplified from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells obtained from patients with HAM/TSP, non-HAM/TSP HTLV-1 carriers with chronic pulmonary inflammation, and asymptomatic HTLV-1 carriers. The proportion of HTLV-1-infected cells in PBMC from patients with HAM/TSP was much higher (3–30%) than that from asymptomatic HTLV-1 carriers (mostly < 1%), based on findings with the quantitative polymerase chain reaction. In non-HAM/TSP carriers with chronic pulmonary inflammation, HTLV-1-infected cells in PBMC were also increased, but not as markedly as that seen in patients with HAM/TSP. Integration of HTLV-1 was also noted in BAL cells from patients with HAM/TSP or non-HAM/TSP carriers with chronic pulmonary inflammation. However, in patients with HAM/TSP, there was a marked increase in HTLV-1-infected cells in the lung (7.5–30% of BAL cells), as compared with findings in non-HAM/TSP carriers (< 5%). These results suggest that increased HTLV-1 proviral DNA loading may play an important role in the development of T lymphocyte alveolitis and myelopathy in patients with HAM/TSP.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Y. Yamazato, A. Miyazato, K. Kawakami, S. Yara, H. Kaneshima, and A. Saito High Expression of p40tax and Pro-inflammatory Cytokines and Chemokines in the Lungs of Human T-Lymphotropic Virus Type 1-Related Bronchopulmonary Disorders Chest, December 1, 2003; 124(6): 2283 - 2292. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]