title: Intrathecal synthesis of antibodies to human T lymphotropic virus type I and the presence of IgG oligoclonal bands in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with endemic tropical spastic paraparesis.
abstract: Tropical spastic paraparesis (TSP), a neuromyelopathy predominantly involving the pyramidal tract and commonly observed in tropical and equatorial areas, was recently found to be associated with human T lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I). We investigated sera and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 19 patients with TSP who were from the Caribbean area, French Guiana, and Africa. Our results showed an elevated intra-blood-brain barrier IgG synthesis rate and an elevated IgG index, with an increased HTLV-I antibody-to-albumin ratio and the presence of CSF oligoclonal bands in the majority of the patients. These data, in association with similar HTLV-I antibody patterns between patients with TSP who were from these three regions, strengthen the probable etiologic role of HTLV-I in the pathogenesis of such chronic neuromyelopathies.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier; D007560:Cote d'Ivoire; D017977:Deltaretrovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006800:Deltaretrovirus Infections / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005616:French Guiana; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009128:Muscle Spasticity; D010243:Paralysis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D012675:Senegal; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D014329:Tropical Climate; D014900:West Indies
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G