Immunological studies in tropical spastic paraparesis.
Tropical spastic paraparesis (TSP) and other chronic-progressive myelopathies have been clearly associated with increased serum and cerebrospinal fluid antibody titers to human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I). However, little is known about the cellular immune function in TSP. In the present study, activated T lymphocytes were found in the peripheral blood of patients with TSP. Specifically, there were increased numbers of large CD3+ cells that also expressed HLA-DR and interleukin-2-receptor molecules. A significantly elevated spontaneous lymphoproliferative response was demonstrated in all patients tested. Generation of measles virus-specific cytotoxic T-cell response was reduced in 4 of 4 patients. This was similar to previous findings in patients with multiple sclerosis. However, unlike multiple sclerosis, reduced generation of cytotoxic T-cell response to influenza and mumps viruses was observed in 2 of 4 patients. These observations confirm further the strong association between TSP and an HTLV-I-like virus and suggest that the observed abnormalities of the cellular immune response in TSP are related to infection of lymphocytes by the retrovirus.
Jacobson
S
S
Neuroimmunology Branch, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Gupta
A
A
Mattson
D
D
Mingioli
E
E
McFarlin
D E
DE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015493:Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic / Q000276:immunology*; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*
D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2