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Immunological findings in neurological diseases associated with antibodies to HTLV‐I: Activated lymphocytes in tropical spastic paraparesis
Author(s) -
Jacobson Steven,
Zaninovic Vladimir,
Mora Carlos,
RodgersJohnson Pamela,
Sheremata William A.,
Gibbs Clarence J.,
Gajdusek D. Carleton,
McFarlin Dale E.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
annals of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.764
H-Index - 296
eISSN - 1531-8249
pISSN - 0364-5134
DOI - 10.1002/ana.410230744
Subject(s) - tropical spastic paraparesis , immunology , immune system , human t lymphotropic virus , medicine , antibody , virus , measles virus , cytotoxic t cell , virology , retrovirus , myelopathy , biology , measles , in vitro , spinal cord , vaccination , biochemistry , psychiatry
A retrovirus involvement in the etiology of certain neurological diseases is currently an area of intense interest Tropical spastic paraparesis and other chronic progressive myelopathies have been clearly associated with increased serum and cerebrospinal fluid antibody titers to human T‐lymphotropic virus type I; however, little is known about the cellular immune response. In the present study, activated T‐lymphocytes were found in the peripheral blood or patients with this disorder. There were increased numbers of large CD3‐positive cells that also expressed histocompatibility leukocyte Class II (DR) and interleukin 2–receptor molecules. In addition, a significantly elevated spontaneous lymphoproliferative response was demonstrated in all patients. This is consistent with the known in vitro effects of human T‐lymphotropic virus type I. In one patient, a defect in the generation of measles virus–specific cytotoxic T cells was identified. These observations indicate abnormalities of the cellular immune response in tropical spastic paraparesis.