Molecular pathologic analysis of the tonsil in HTLV-I-infected individuals.
Little is known about the role of the tonsils in HTLV-I infection. We performed molecular pathologic studies of tonsils in individuals positive or negative for anti-HTLV-I antibodies (HTLV-I-Ab) to clarify histologic characteristics of tonsils in HTLV-I infection. We collected tonsils and peripheral blood samples from patients who underwent tonsillectomy in a prospective manner. HTLV-I-Ab in serum was examined and presence of HTLV-I provirus was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in extracted DNA of both peripheral blood and tonsils. Histopathologic and immunohistochemical evaluations of tonsils were performed. HTLV-I seropositivity and PCR detection of HTLV-I provirus matched perfectly. Tonsil samples from seropositive individuals showed atrophy of the mantle zone and high numbers of T cells in the marginal zone compared with findings in HTLV-I-negative samples. HTLV-I provirus could be detected only from extracted DNA of extrafollicular areas. PCR in situ hybridization also showed positive signals in some mononuclear cells located in the marginal zone. There was a significant correlation between HTLV-I proviral load in tonsils and in peripheral blood. These results suggest the presence of characteristic histologic changes and deviated localization of HTLV-I-infected cells in the tonsils of individuals positive for HTLV-I.
Takenouchi
N
N
Division of Molecular Pathology and Genetic Epidemiology, Center for Chronic Viral Diseases, Kagoshima University School of Medicine, Japan.
Matsuoka
E
E
Moritoyo
T
T
Nagai
M
M
Katsuta
K
K
Hasui
K
K
Ueno
K
K
Eizuru
Y
Y
Usuku
K
K
Osame
M
M
Isashiki
Y
Y
Izumo
S
S
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019562:Viral Load
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral