In situ demonstration of the HTLV-I genome in the spinal cord of a patient with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy.
Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and in situ hybridization, we investigated the HTLV-I genome in the CNS of an HTLV-I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) patient with a 20-year disease duration. Neuropathologically, there was severe white matter degeneration throughout the spinal cord, but lymphocytic infiltrates were not evident in any lesion. PCR amplification of the pX region of HTLV-I DNA detected its sequence in the spinal cord and all extra-CNS tissue samples. In situ hybridization using probes complementary to the pX and gag regions detected the HTLV-I genome in the cytoplasm and nucleus of cells in the thoracic cord. The findings indicate a direct involvement of HTLV-I in the neurodegeneration of HAM/TSP.
Kuroda
Y
Y
Department of Internal Medicine, Saga Medical School, Japan.
Matsui
M
M
Kikuchi
M
M
Kurohara
K
K
Endo
C
C
Yukitake
M
M
Matsuda
Y
Y
Tokunaga
O
O
Komine-Sakaki
A
A
Kawaguchi
R
R
D000368:Aged; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D015750:Genes, gag; D016679:Genome, Viral; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D015493:Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000821:virology*
D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes