HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis-like rats by intravenous injection of HTLV-1-producing rabbit or human T-cell line into adult WKA rats.
We intravenously injected Ra-1 cells or MT-2 cells into female adult WKA rats. Spastic paraparesis mainly in the hind-limbs was observed in 1 out of 2 Ra-1 cell-injected WKA rats and in 3 out of 8 MT-2 cell-injected WKA rats 20-27 months after injection. The main neuropathological finding was symmetrical white matter degeneration with mononuclear cell infiltration of the spinal cord, similar to that of HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) patients, and degeneration of nerve roots and peripheral nerves. Antibodies against HTLV-1 antigens were detected in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid from these HAM/TSP-like rats. HTLV-1 provirus was detected from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of one of these rats 20 months after injection. Interestingly, spastic paraparesis was not observed in F344 rats.
Kushida
S
S
Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki.
Matsumura
M
M
Tanaka
H
H
Ami
Y
Y
Hori
M
M
Kobayashi
M
M
Uchida
K
K
Yagami
K
K
Kameyama
T
T
Yoshizawa
T
T
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D015493:Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic / Q000276:immunology; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies