Immune responses and serum levels of cytokines in adult T-cell leukemia patients and human T-cell leukemia virus type-I carriers.
To find predictive parameters for development and progression of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) in human T-cell leukemia virus type-I (HTLV-I) carriers, we investigated cellular immune responses such as mitogenic responses and natural killer activity of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). And serum or plasma levels of cytokines, including tumor-necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and immunosuppressive acidic protein (IAP), were also measured in patients with ATL, healthy HTLV-I carriers and healthy HTLV-I non-carriers as controls. Results are as follows: (1) increased spontaneous proliferation and decreased mitogenic responses of PBMC already existed in HTLV-I carriers; (2) IAP was significantly higher in patients with acute/lymphoma type ATL than in those with chronic/smoldering type, HTLV-I carriers and HTLV-I non-carriers. These results suggest that spontaneous proliferation or mitogenic responses and IAP may be useful parameters for the development and progression of ATL from the carriers. Since HTLV-I carriers already have various grades of immunosuppression, we should seriously try to prevent further HTLV-I transmission.
Nakasone
T
T
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan.
Araki
K
K
Masuda
M
M
Oshiro
K
K
Arakaki
H
H
Shimoji
T
T
Shinzato
O
O
Mimura
G
G
D002353:Carrier State; D002455:Cell Division; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D015458:Leukemia, T-Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000473:pathology; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000097:blood; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D016207:Cytokines; D008934:Mitogens; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C030193:immunosuppressive acidic protein; D007371:Interferon-gamma