title: Are increased Foxp3+ regulatory T cells responsible for immunosuppression during HTLV-1 infection? Case reports and review of the literature.
abstract: Research of human T lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-1)-associated diseases is mostly focused on inflammatory and lymphoproliferative disorders. However, the immunosuppressive consequences of HTLV-1 infection are frequently ignored. In developing countries where exposure to parasitic and other tropical diseases is frequent, the burden of disease is significantly increased by opportunistic infections. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are a CD4 T-cell subset capable of suppressing effector responses. During HTLV-1 infection, CD4+Foxp3+ cells are increased in HTLV-1-associated leukaemia/lymphoma (ATLL) as well as in non-leukaemic presentations. However, controversy exists regarding the actual regulatory function of these cells. In this report, we present two cases of HTLV-1 ATLL complicated by parasitic organisms and we provide a brief review of the literature regarding FoxP3+ regulatory T cells and their role as a possible mechanism for the immunosuppressive manifestations that take place during HTLV-1 infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Instituto de Medicina Tropical 'Alexander von Humboldt', Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Barros
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Woll
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Montes
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001706:Biopsy; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D004748:Entamoeba histolytica; D004749:Entamoebiasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000097:blood*; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000276:immunology*; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D015459:Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D012532:Scabies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D017171:Strongyloides stercoralis; D013322:Strongyloidiasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D014005:Tinea / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors