Human T cell leukemia virus type I expression in salivary glands of infected patients

Human T cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) sequences were sought in labial salivary glands of patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy or tropical spastic paraparesis and of seropositive neurologically healthy carriers. HT LV-I proviral DNA was found by polymerase chain reaction amplification in D NA extracted from lip biopsies of every patient. Viral RNA was found by in situ hybridization in the acini epithelium, as well as in lymphocytic infil trates. This observation suggests that HTLV-I expression in labial salivary glands could participate in the inflammatory lesions observed in these pat ients. Some seronegative patients with Sjogren's syndrome or dryness syndro me were also positive for viral transactivator tax DNA (41% in Martinique a nd 16% in non-HTLV-I-endemic region). Despite histologic signs of lymphocyt ic infiltration, no viral expression was found in the labial salivary gland s of these patients.