title: Increased seroreactivity to HERV-K10 peptides in patients with HTLV myelopathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previously, we had shown that persons infected with human T-cell lymphoma leukemia virus 1 or 2 (HTLV-1 or 2) had an increased prevalence of antibodies to a peptide in the Pol protein of the retrovirus HERV-K10, homologous to a peptide in HTLV gp21 envelope protein. The prevalence rate was higher in those with myelopathy vs. non-myelopathy. We have now extended our observations to a cohort restricted to North America in whom the diagnosis of HTLV myelopathy was rigorously confirmed to also test for reactivity to another HERV-K10 peptide homologous to the HTLV p24 Gag protein.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sera from 100 volunteer blood donors (VBD), 53 patients with large granular lymphocytic leukemia (LGLL), 74 subjects with HTLV-1 or 2 infection (58 non-myelopathy and 16 myelopathy) and 83 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) were evaluated in ELISA assays using the above peptides.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The HTLV myelopathy patients had a statistically significant increased prevalence of antibodies to both HERV-K10 peptides (87.5%) vs. the VBD (0%), LGLL patients (0%), MS patients (4.8%), and the HTLV positive non-myelopathy subjects (5.2%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data suggest that immuno-cross-reactivity to HERV-K10 peptides and/or transactivation of HERV-K10 expression by the HTLV Tax protein may be involved in the pathogenesis of HTLV-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis and spastic ataxia.
authors.forename: Raisa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Perzova
authors.forename: Elliot
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Graziano
authors.forename: Swathi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sanghi
authors.forename: Caitlin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Welch
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Benz
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Abbott
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lalone
authors.forename: Jordan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Glaser
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Loughran
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sheremata
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, State University of New York, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA. poieszb@upstate.edu.
authors.forename: Bernard J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Poiesz
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003429:Cross Reactions; D020077:Endogenous Retroviruses / Q000276:immunology*; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000276:immunology*; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D015491:HTLV-II Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000276:immunology; D015367:Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D009656:North America; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D015683:Gene Products, gag