Human T cell lymphotropic retroviruses: association with diseases of the nervous system

Intervirology
B Kitze, J N Brady

Abstract

In less than 1% of persistently infected individuals, human T cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) causes a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS), called HTLV-I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis. Important prerequisites for disease induction are oligoclonal expansion of HTLV-I-infected CD4+ T lymphocytes, their trafficking across the blood-brain barrier, expression of viral proteins in the CNS, and an increased immune response within the CNS. The HTLV-I Tax1 protein has unique abilities to transactivate viral and cellular genes in T lymphocytes, but possibly also in cells of the CNS. Thus Tax1 supports the persistence of HTLV-I, the ongoing immune responses within the CNS and the destruction of myelin and axons, most pronounced in the thoracic spinal cord.

Citations

Feb 3, 1999·Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology : Official Publication of the International Retrovirology Association·G C NewboundM D Lairmore
Jun 3, 2009·Zoonoses and Public Health·R E KahnJ A Richt

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