title: Immunopathogenesis of human T cell lymphotropic virus type I-associated neurologic disease.
abstract: This review focuses on current approaches to understanding the immunopathogenesis of human T cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV) type I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) based on newly developed molecular and immunologic techniques that have been adapted to studies of HTLV-I proviral load, HTLV-I mRNA, and HTLV-I tax-specific CD8 T cells. These methods enable researchers to study previously inaccessible aspects of this disease and allow a more detailed analysis of virus/host immune responses as they relate to disease specificity in this disorder. The role of HTLV-I-specific CD8 T cell immune responses is highlighted. The elucidation of the immunopathology of HAM/TSP will enhance our understanding of other HTLV-I-associated disorders plus other neurologic, hematologic, and inflammatory diseases for which viral etiologies have been suggested.
authors.affiliation: Viral Immunology Section, Neuroimmunology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke/NIH, Bldg. 10, Rm. 5B-16, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. jacobsons@ninds.nih.gov
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jacobson
mesh_terms: D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015493:Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger