title: The distribution of T-cell subsets among HTLV-I carriers in Japan.
abstract: Data on T-cell subsets from 89 human T-cell lymphotropic virus-I (HTLV-I) carriers and 25 seronegative people were analyzed to identify differences in T-cell subset values among three subgroups: HTLV-I carriers with abnormal lymphocytes (Ably; n = 24), carriers without Ably (n = 65), and HTLV-I seronegatives (n = 25). Estimates of mean values were adjusted for age, sex, smoking, and alcohol drinking, as appropriate. The percentage of CD25+ T cells was elevated in carriers with Ably (mean, 16.7 +/- 1.0) compared with the seronegatives (11.4 +/- 1.4; p = 0.0002); individuals with CD25 T-cell percentages above the median for the seronegatives had a corresponding 5.4-fold risk for being a carrier with Ably. Similarly, the percentage of CD4 T cells was elevated in carriers with Ably. Conversely, the percentage of CD8 T cells was lower among both groups of HTLV-I carriers than in the seronegatives. There was a corresponding significant increase (p = 0.0004) of the CD4/CD8 ratio among carriers with Ably (1.57 +/- 0.12) compared with the seronegatives (1.22 +/- 0.12). Among subjects with CD4/CD8 ratios above the median for the seronegatives, there were 6.8- and 4.5-fold risks for being carriers with or without Ably, respectively. The percentage of CD7 was lower among carriers with Ably (75.6 +/- 1.6) than among seronegatives (78.9 +/- 1.5; p = 0.13). The percentage of beta-interleukin-2-receptor-positive T cells did not vary among the three subgroups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Welles
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tachibana
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Okayama
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Murai
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shioiri
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sagawa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Katagiri
authors.forename: N E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Mueller
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D002353:Carrier State / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007564:Japan; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000473:pathology