HTLV-1 infection causes a chronic progressive debilitating neuroinflammatory disease which is called, HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). One of the host defense mechanisms against viral infection is apoptosis which may control HTLV-1 infection. Therefore, we aimed to investigate this process and its interaction with viral factors in HTLV-1-infected asymptomatic carriers (ACs) compared to HAM/TSP patients. Fas, FasL, TRAIL, perforin, granzyme A, granzyme B, and granulysin gene expression and serum levels of Fas, FasL, TRAIL, and granulysin in the peripheral blood of 21 sex- and age-matched healthy controls (HCs), ACs, and HAM/TSP patients were evaluated. Also, the level of granulysin secretion in the cell culture supernatant was measured. Finally, the correlation of the expression of these molecules with HTLV-1 proviral load (PVL), Tax, and HBZ mRNA expression was analyzed. ACs compared to HAM/TSP patients significantly over-expressed the Fas, FasL, TRAIL, perforin, and granzyme B molecules. Fas, FasL, TRAIL, and granulysin serum levels were not different among studied groups; whereas, the secretion of granulysin was significantly decreased in ACs and HAM/TSP patients compared to HCs. Also, HAM/TSP patients expressed higher levels of HTLV-1 PVL, Tax, and HBZ mRNA. In addition, in ACs, inverse correlations between the Fas, FasL, TRAIL, perforin, granzyme B, and granulysin levels with HBZ mRNA expression were seen. ACs compared to HAM/TSP patients over-expressed the apoptosis- and cytotoxicity-related molecules. It could be concluded that successful control of the HTLV-1 infection and suppression of HAM/TSP development stem from the strong apoptosis and cytotoxic activity in the peripheral blood of ACs.

中文翻译：

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与HAM / TSP患者相比，HTLV-1感染的无症状携带者过表达细胞凋亡和细胞毒性相关分子。

HTLV-1感染会引起慢性进行性衰弱性神经炎性疾病，称为HTLV-1相关性脊髓病/热带痉挛性轻瘫（HAM / TSP）。抗病毒感染的宿主防御机制之一是凋亡，它可以控制HTLV-1感染。因此，我们旨在研究与HAM / TSP患者相比，该过程及其与HTLV-1感染的无症状携带者（AC）中病毒因子的相互作用。Fas，FasL，TRAIL，穿孔素，颗粒酶A，颗粒酶B和颗粒溶素的基因表达以及21名性别和年龄相匹配的健康对照（AC），外周血中外周血Fas，FasL，TRAIL和颗粒溶素的血清水平并评估了HAM / TSP患者。同样，测量细胞培养上清液中颗粒溶素的分泌水平。最后，分析了这些分子的表达与HTLV-1前病毒载量（PVL），Tax和HBZ mRNA表达的相关性。与HAM / TSP患者相比，AC明显过表达Fas，FasL，TRAIL，穿孔素和颗粒酶B分子。在研究组之间，Fas，FasL，TRAIL和颗粒溶素的血清水平没有差异。与AC相比，AC和HAM / TSP患者的颗粒溶素分泌明显减少。同样，HAM / TSP患者表达较高水平的HTLV-1 PVL，Tax和HBZ mRNA。此外，在AC中，发现Fas，FasL，TRAIL，穿孔素，颗粒酶B和颗粒溶素水平与HBZ mRNA表达呈负相关。与HAM / TSP患者相比，ACs高表达与细胞凋亡和细胞毒性相关的分子。