title: Aberrant immunity in the central nervous system in relation to disease progression in HAM/TSP.
abstract: The immunological status of the central nervous systems of 19 patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) was distinct from that of 6 asymptomatic HTLV-I carriers. Cross-sectional analysis of the time course of disease-related abnormalities in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) showed that activated B cell function was a feature in relatively early HAM/TSP patients in whom duration of the disease was less than 5 to 6 years. During this period many patients experienced notable neurological deterioration. By contrast, an increase in CD8+CD11a+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes along with elevated beta 2-microglobulin levels in the CSF was a consistent finding in early as well as late patients with more than a 10-year history of the illness. In light of the generally progressive course of this disorder, the mode of immunity related to the pathogenesis of HAM/TSP may be different according to the stages of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Saga Medical School, Saga City, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsui
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kuroda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002353:Carrier State / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000276:immunology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015493:Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000166:cytology; D013997:Time Factors; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin