title: 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.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Genetic Molecular of Microorganisms, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. alena@ioc.fiocruz.br
authors.forename: Alena Mayo
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Iñiguez
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gastaldello
authors.forename: Koko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Otsuki
authors.forename: Marcos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balangero
authors.forename: Filipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Carvalho Costa
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Remondegui
authors.forename: Ana Carolina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Paula Vicente
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gallego
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D016356:Gene Products, tax; C514970:tax protein, Human T-lymphotrophic virus 1