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. 2017 Nov;33(11):1126-1133.
doi: 10.1089/AID.2015.0340. Epub 2017 Jun 26.

Association of Tuberculosis Status with Neurologic Disease and Immune Response in HTLV-1 Infection

Anselmo Souza  1   2 , Natália Carvalho  1   2 , Yuri Neves  1   3 , Silvane Braga Santos  1   2   4 , Maria de Lourdes Bastos  1   3 , Sérgio Arruda  5 , Eduardo Martins Netto  6 , Marshall J Glesby  7 , Edgar Carvalho  1   2   5
Affiliations

Association of Tuberculosis Status with Neurologic Disease and Immune Response in HTLV-1 Infection

Anselmo Souza et al. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2017 Nov.

Abstract

The human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is the etiologic agent of HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). HTLV-1 infected individuals have increased susceptibility to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection but the influence of tuberculosis (TB) on the course of HTLV-1 infection is unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of TB on immunological, virologic, and neurologic features of HTLV-1 infection. This is a retrospective analysis of individuals enrolled in a cohort study from an HTLV-1 clinic who were evaluated for past or latent tuberculosis (LTB) and classified clinically as HTLV-1 carriers, probable HAM/TSP and definite HAM/TSP. Spontaneous cytokine production (interferon-gamma [IFN-γ], tumor necrosis factor [TNF], and interleukin[IL]-10), serum chemokines (CXCL9 and CXCL10) and HTLV-1 proviral load were evaluated. Of 172 participants, 64 did not have histories of TB (TB- group), 81 had LTB and 27 had TB in the past (TB+ group). In the TB+ group, there was a higher frequency of HAM/TSP patients (35%) than in HTLV-1 carriers (10%) (OR = 3.8, p = .0001). HAM/TSP patients with histories of TB had higher IFN-γ/IL-10 and TNF/IL-10 ratios when compared with HAM/TSP patients without histories of TB. There were no differences in serum chemokine production and proviral load across TB groups stratified on HTLV-1 clinical status. In conclusion, TB may influence the development of HAM/TSP, and patients with these two diseases have an impairment in the modulation of immune response.

Keywords: HTLV-1; immune response; tuberculosis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

<b>FIG. 1.</b>
FIG. 1.
IFN-γ/IL-10 and TNF/IL-10 ratios from HTLV-1 carriers, probable HAM/TSP and HAM/TSP patients. The cytokine ratios are calculated with values of spontaneous cytokine production from HTLV-1 carriers (A and B), probable HAM/TSP patients (C and D) and HAM/TSP patients (E and F) stratified by TB status: no history of TB (TB− group), LTB, and history of TB (TB+). Statistical analysis is by Kruskal–Wallis test with post-test. HAM, HTLV-1-associated myelopathy; HTLV-1, human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1; IFN-γ, interferon-gamma; LTB, latent TB group; TB, tuberculosis; TNF, tumor necrosis factor-alpha; TSP, tropical spastic paraparesis.
<b>FIG. 2.</b>
FIG. 2.
Serum chemokine production from HTLV-1 carriers, probable HAM/TSP and HAM/TSP patients. The serum CXCL9 and CXCL10 levels were evaluated in HTLV-1 carriers (A and B), probable HAM/TSP patients (C and D) and HAM/TSP patients (E and F) stratified by TB status: TB negative; LTB; and TB+ group. Statistical analysis is by Kruskal–Wallis test with post-test.
<b>FIG. 3.</b>
FIG. 3.
Proviral load determination in HTLV-1 carriers, probable HAM/TSP and HAM/TSP patients. The proviral load was determined in HTLV-1 carriers (A), probable HAM/TSP patients (B) and HAM/TSP patients (C) stratified on TB status: TB negative, LTB and TB+ group. Statistical analysis is by Kruskal–Wallis test with post-test.
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