Immunohistochemical characteristics of polymyositis in patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy and HTLV-I carriers.
The immunohistochemical characteristics of polymyositis in patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy (HAM) and HTLV-I carriers were studied. Infiltrating cells were predominantly T cells and were not different from in the control group. All specimens contained positively staining muscle fibers for MHC class I antigens, but class II antigens were also expressed in some muscle fibers in 1 patient with HTLV-I-negative polymyositis, 3 patients with HTLV-I-positive polymyositis, and all 5 HAM patients with polymyositis. Expression of the neural cell adhesion molecule was lowest in the HAM patients. These findings may suggest a different immune environment in polymyositis with HAM.
Higuchi
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I
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kagoshima University, Japan.
Montemayor
E S
ES
Izumo
S
S
Inose
M
M
Osame
M
M
D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis*; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000032:analysis*; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D002353:Carrier State / Q000276:immunology*; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015493:Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D017285:Polymyositis / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*
D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D006680:HLA Antigens