Correlation of HTLV-1 Tax genetic diversity with HTLV-1 associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis progression and HTLV-1a genotypes in an HTLV-1 endemic region in Argentina.
The oncoprotein Tax was characterized genetically from a large cohort of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) seropositive individuals from the most endemic region of HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) and HTLV-1 infection in Argentina, the province of San Salvador de Jujuy. Sixteen HAM/TSP patients and 47 HTLV-1 healthy carriers were evaluated. Six Tax genetic polymorphisms were identified and observed in 70.8% of healthy carriers and 62.5% of HAM/TSP patients. Tax genetic polymorphisms were not associated with clinical status but A8344C polymorphism statistically provide a borderline protective effect of HAM/TSP outcome. Nucleotide diversity in healthy carriers was 0.00549, whereas HAM/TSP virus population revealed a low diversity of 0.00379, suggests a positive selection for Tax protein conservation in this group. It is concluded that tax genetic polymorphisms do not increase the risk of developing HAM/TSP in this endemic region. However, in spite of the low prevalence of HTLV-1aB genotype, statistical analysis revealed an important correlation of tax genetic signatures with HTLV-1aA trans-continental subgroup.
Iñiguez
Alena Mayo
AM
Laboratory of Genetic Molecular of Microorganisms, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. alena@ioc.fiocruz.br
Gastaldello
René
R
Otsuki
Koko
K
Balangero
Marcos
M
Carvalho Costa
Filipe
F
Remondegui
Carlos
C
Paula Vicente
Ana Carolina
AC
Gallego
Sandra
S
D001118:Argentina; D002353:Carrier State / Q000821:virology; D018450:Disease Progression; D016356:Gene Products, tax / Q000235:genetics*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D015493:Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*
D016356:Gene Products, tax; C514970:tax protein, Human T-lymphotrophic virus 1