[Uveitis in human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) carriers--3. A molecular biological study].
The presence of proviral DNA of human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) in the inflammatory cells in the aqueous humor was examined by polymerase chain reaction. The proviral DNA was detected in all the tested patients (n = 9) with HTLV-I uveitis. On the other hand, the provirus was not detected in 2 out of 3 HTLV-I seropositive patients with other types of uveitis, i.e., Behçet's disease, toxoplasmosis and Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada's disease. None of the 11 seronegative patients with other types of uveitis or senile cataract had proviral DNA in the aqueous humor. Thus, the fact that HTLV-I-infected cells were present in the aqueous humor of all HTLV-I uveitis patients suggests significant involvement of HTLV-I in the pathophysiology of the uveitis.
Nakashima
S
S
Department of Ophthalmology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan.
Shirao
M
M
Mochizuki
M
M
Watanabe
T
T
Mori
S
S
Araki
S
S
Miyata
N
N
Yamaguchi
K
K
Takatsuki
K
K
D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000737:chemistry; D001483:Base Sequence; D002353:Carrier State; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000235:genetics*; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D014605:Uveitis / Q000382:microbiology*
D004279:DNA, Viral