Abstract |
In contrast to therapeutic benefits of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) in patients with human T lymphotropic virus type I ( HTLV-I)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP), little is known about the mechanisms underlying its clinical efficacy. To investigate the anti-viral and/or immunomodulatory properties of IFN-alpha in HTLV-I infection, the effects of IFN-alpha on HTLV-I-induced in vitro phenomena were evaluated. In vitro activation of HTLV-I in fractionated CD4+ T lymphocyte-rich cells (CD4+ cells) could be demonstrated by increased thymidine incorporation into the cells, detection of proviral HTLV-I and viral RNA, and by assays of reverse transcriptase activities in culture supernatants. T cell immune responses were evaluated by thymidine incorporation into CD8+ T lymphocyte-rich cells (CD8+ cells) responding to cultured and irradiated autologous CD4+ cells possessing HTLV-I antigens. It could be shown that IFN-alpha suppressed both the in vitro activation of HTLV-I and the CD8+ cell response. Moreover, 1 day supplementation of IFN-alpha as a pretreatment was sufficient for the induction of these properties. These findings, together with the clinical efficacy of IFN-alpha administration in patients with HAM/TSP, support the view that viral activation and T cell responses are critical components in the pathogenic processes involved in HAM/TSP.
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Authors | S Ijichi, S Izumo, M Nagai, K Shinmyozu, W W Hall, M Osame |
Journal | Journal of neuroimmunology
(J Neuroimmunol)
Vol. 61
Issue 2
Pg. 213-21
(Sep 1995)
ISSN: 0165-5728 [Print] Netherlands |
PMID | 7593557
(Publication Type: Journal Article)
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Chemical References |
- Antiviral Agents
- DNA Primers
- HTLV-I Antigens
- Interferon-alpha
- RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase
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Topics |
- Antiviral Agents
(pharmacology)
- Base Sequence
- CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes
(immunology)
- CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes
(immunology)
- Cells, Cultured
- DNA Primers
(chemistry)
- HTLV-I Antigens
(analysis)
- Humans
- Interferon-alpha
(pharmacology)
- Lymphocyte Activation
(drug effects)
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic
(immunology)
- RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase
(analysis)
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