T. Nakamura et al., Importance of immune deviation toward Th1 in the early immunopathogenesis of human T-lymphotropic virus type I-associated myelopathy, MED HYPOTH, 54(5), 2000, pp. 777-782
Citations number
60
Categorie Soggetti
Research/Laboratory Medicine & Medical Tecnology","Medical Research General Topics
Although the principal neuropathological feature of human T-lymphotropic vi
rus type I (HTLV-I)-associated myelopathy (HAM) is chronic inflammation of
the spinal cord, characterized by perivascular cuffing of mononuclear cells
accompanied by parenchymal lymphocytic infiltration, the precise mechanism
s by which HTLV-I infection causes chronic inflammation of the spinal cord
are still obscure. In patients with HAM, peripheral blood CD4(+) T lymphocy
tes, particularly HTLV-l-infected CD4(+) T lymphocytes, have increased adhe
rent activity to endothelial cells and transmigrating activity through base
ment membranes. In addition, the profile of cytokine expression suggests in
creased numbers of Th1 cells in peripheral blood CD4(+) T lymphocytes of pa
tients with HAM. These findings strongly suggest that immune deviation towa
rd Th1, which might be based on high viral load of HTLV-I, plays an importa
nt role in tissue damage in the central nervous system of patients with HAM
. We herein emphasize the importance of activated Th1 cells as the first tr
igger in the immunopathogenesis of HAM. (C) 2000 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.