Human T-lymphocytic virus 1 (HTLV-1) is mainly associated with adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) and HTLV-1–associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). Patients with HAM/TSP exhibit significant changes in their immune response, and HTLV-1 infection can interfere in cytokine production and perhaps in T cell production. The aims of this study were to evaluate thymic function in HAM/TSP patients and HTLV-1 healthy carriers (HCs) and correlate it to age and interleukin 7 (IL-7) gene expression. Thymic function in 21 HAM/TSP patients and 12 HCs was evaluated by quantifying T cell receptor rearrangement excision circle (TREC) particles and IL-7 gene expression, both measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. HAM/TSP patients presented lower TREC particle counts (p = 0.0112) and lower IL-7 expression (p = 0.0102) than HCs. Both TREC particles and IL-7 gene expression were separately analyzed in two age groups: ≤ 59 years and ≥60 years, The ≤59-year-old HAM/TSP patients had a lower TREC count compared with the ≤59-year-old HCs (p = 0.0476). In conclusion, HAM/TSP development could interfere with thymic function because the results showed TREC particle reduction in HAM/TSP patients in relation to HCs, and it could be associated with a concomitant reduction in IL-7 expression.

人类 T 淋巴细胞病毒 1 (HTLV-1) 主要与成人 T 细胞白血病/淋巴瘤 (ATLL) 和 HTLV-1 相关的脊髓病/热带痉挛性截瘫 (HAM/TSP) 相关。HAM/TSP 患者的免疫反应表现出显着变化，HTLV-1 感染会干扰细胞因子的产生，可能还会干扰 T 细胞的产生。本研究的目的是评估 HAM/TSP 患者和 HTLV-1 健康携带者 (HC) 的胸腺功能，并将其与年龄和白细胞介素 7 (IL-7) 基因表达相关联。通过量化 T 细胞受体重排切除环 (TREC) 颗粒和 IL-7 基因表达来评估 21 名 HAM/TSP 患者和 12 名 HC 的胸腺功能，两者均通过定量聚合酶链反应测量。HAM/TSP 患者的 TREC 颗粒计数 (p = 0.0112) 和 IL-7 表达 (p = 0.0102) 低于 HC。在两个年龄组中分别分析 TREC 颗粒和 IL-7 基因表达：≤59 岁和 ≥60 岁，与≤59 岁相比，≤59 岁 HAM/TSP 患者的 TREC 计数较低碳氢化合物 (p = 0.0476)。总之，HAM/TSP 发展可能会干扰胸腺功能，因为结果显示 HAM/TSP 患者的 TREC 颗粒减少与 HC 相关，并且它可能与伴随的 IL-7 表达减少有关。