title: Detection of HTLV type I provirus by in situ polymerase chain reaction in mouthwash mononuclear cells of HAM/TSP patients and HTLV type I carriers.
abstract: Molecular studies have revealed the presence of HTLV-I provirus DNA in saliva of HTLV-I-infected subjects. However, cellular localization has not been determined. In the present study, we have used in situ PCR technique to study saliva-associated cells for localization of HTLV-I proviral DNA. We found that HTLV-I proviral DNA was present in the nuclei and cytoplasm of salivary lymphocytes in five (71%) of seven HTLV-I-seropositive subjects. The percentage of infected cells in positive mouthwash samples ranged from 0.5 to 2%. None of the HTLV-I-negative patients had HTLV-I provirus in saliva. The localization of HTLV-I provirus DNA suggests that salivary lymphocytes can serve as vector for HTLV-I infection through saliva.
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Internal Medicine, Kagoshima University, Sakuhagaoka, Japan.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Achiron
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Higuchi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takenouchi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Matsuoka
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Izumo
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shohat
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Osame
mesh_terms: D002353:Carrier State; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000821:virology*; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000821:virology*; D009067:Mouthwashes; D015493:Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D011533:Proviruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012463:Saliva / Q000166:cytology / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D009067:Mouthwashes