OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV) type-I/II infection among voluntary blood donors in Jiangsu (Nanjing, Suzhou, Xuzhou). METHODS: From 2016 to 2019, 408 262 samples of voluntary blood donors from four blood stations in Jiangsu Province (Jiangsu Province Blood Center, Nanjing Red Cross Blood Center, Suzhou Central Blood Station, and Xuzhou Central Blood Station) were screened for HTLV-I/II antibody by ELISA. The positive samples were sent to National Center for Clinical Laboratories for confirmation by RT-PCR and Western blot. RESULTS: The positive rate of HTLV-I/II screened by ELISA was 0.20‰ (82/408 262), and three HTLV-I positive samples were confirmed. The prevalence of HTLV-1 infection was 0.74 per 100 000 (3/408 262). All three donors were female repeated blood donors of childbearing ages. CONCLUSION Jiangsu is a low prevalence area of HTLV, and a reasonable blood screening strategy for HTLV can further reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted virus infection.
Blood Donors ; Female ; HTLV-II Infections/epidemiology* ; Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 ; Humans ; Prevalence ; T-Lymphocytes

Adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is a rare T lymphoproliferative disorder which is aetiologically linked with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-1). HTLV-1 is endemic in Japan, Caribbean and Africa. The highest incidence of ATLL is in Japan although sporadic cases have been reported elsewhere in the world. We describe a case of ATLL with an unusual presentation which we believe is the first reported case of ATLL in Malaysia based on our literature search. A 51-year-old Indian lady was referred to University Malaya Medical Centre for an incidental finding of lymphocytosis while being investigated for pallor and giddiness. Clinical examination revealed bilateral shotty cervical lymph nodes with no hepato-splenomegaly or skin lesions. Laboratory investigations showed absolute lymphocytosis (38 x 10(9)/L) with a mildly increased serum lactate dehydrogenase. The peripheral blood smear showed the presence of predominantly small to medium sized, non-flower lymphocytes. The bone marrow showed similar findings of prominent lymphocytosis. Immunophenotyping of the bone marrow mononuclear cells showed CD3+, CD4+, CD5+, CD7- and CD25+ which is characteristic of ATLL phenotype. HTLV-1 infection was confirmed by the presence of HTLV-1 proviral DNA in the tumor cells using conventional Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and real-time PCR. Here, we discuss the pathogenesis and characteristics of ATLL as well as the detection of HTLV-1 by real time PCR.
Leukemia-Lymphoma, T-Cell, Acute, HTLV-I-Associated ; Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; T-Lymphocytes ; Lymphocytosis

Genotyping Tool for Viral SEQuences (GTVseq) provides scientists with the genotype information on the viral genome sequences including HIV-1, HIV-2, HBV, HCV, HTLV-1, HTLV-2, poliovirus, enterovirus, flavivirus, Hantavirus, and rotavirus. GTVseq produces alternative and additive genotype information for the query viral sequences based on two different, but related, scoring methods. The genotype information produced is reported in a graphical manner for the reference genotype matches and each graphical output is linked to the detailed sequence alignments between the query and the matched reference sequences. GTVseq also reports the potential 'repeats' and/or 'recombination' sequence region in a separated window. GTVseq does not replace completely other well-known genotyping tools such as NCBI's virus sequence genotyping tool (http://www.ncbi. nlm.nih.gov/projects/genotyping/formpage.cgi), but provides additional information useful in the confirmation or for further investigation of the genotype(s) for the newly isolated viral sequences.
Enterovirus ; Flavivirus ; Genome, Viral ; Genotype ; Hantavirus ; HIV-1 ; HIV-2 ; Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 ; Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 ; Poliovirus ; Recombination, Genetic ; Research Design ; Rotavirus ; Sequence Alignment ; Viruses

Genotyping Tool for Viral SEQuences (GTVseq) provides scientists with the genotype information on the viral genome sequences including HIV-1, HIV-2, HBV, HCV, HTLV-1, HTLV-2, poliovirus, enterovirus, flavivirus, Hantavirus, and rotavirus. GTVseq produces alternative and additive genotype information for the query viral sequences based on two different, but related, scoring methods. The genotype information produced is reported in a graphical manner for the reference genotype matches and each graphical output is linked to the detailed sequence alignments between the query and the matched reference sequences. GTVseq also reports the potential 'repeats' and/or 'recombination' sequence region in a separated window. GTVseq does not replace completely other well-known genotyping tools such as NCBI's virus sequence genotyping tool (http://www.ncbi. nlm.nih.gov/projects/genotyping/formpage.cgi), but provides additional information useful in the confirmation or for further investigation of the genotype(s) for the newly isolated viral sequences.
Enterovirus ; Flavivirus ; Genome, Viral ; Genotype ; Hantavirus ; HIV-1 ; HIV-2 ; Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 ; Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 ; Poliovirus ; Recombination, Genetic ; Research Design ; Rotavirus ; Sequence Alignment ; Viruses

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) is a low-cost and safe examination for testing the vestibulospinal pathway. Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV-1)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is a slowly progressive disease that affects the vestibulospinal tract early in its course. This study compared the electromyographic (EMG) responses triggered by GVS of asymptomatic HTLV-1-infected subjects and subjects with HAM/TSP. METHODS: Bipolar galvanic stimuli (400 ms and 2 mA) were applied to the mastoid processes of 39 subjects (n=120 stimulations per subject, with 60 from each lower limb). Both the short latency (SL) and medium latency (ML) components of the EMG response were recorded from the soleus muscles of 13 healthy, HTLV-1-negative adults (56+/-5 years, mean+/-SD), and 26 individuals infected with HTLV-1, of whom 13 were asymptomatic (56+/-8 years) and 13 had HAM/TSP (60+/-6 years). RESULTS: The SL and ML EMG components were 55+/-4 and 112+/-10 ms, respectively, in the group of healthy subjects, 61+/-6 and 112+/-10 ms and in the HTLV-1-asymptomatic group, and 67+/-8 and 130+/-3 ms in the HAM/TSP group (p=0.001). The SL component was delayed in 4/13 (31%) of the examinations in the HTLV-1-asymptomatic group, while the ML component was normal in all of them. In the HAM/TSP group, the most common alteration was the absence of waves. CONCLUSIONS: A pattern of abnormal vestibular-evoked EMG responses was found in HTLV-1-neurological disease, ranging from delayed latency among asymptomatic carriers to the absence of a response in HAM/TSP. GVS may contribute to the early diagnosis and monitoring of nontraumatic myelopathies.
Adult ; Diagnosis* ; Early Diagnosis ; Electrophysiology ; Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 ; Humans ; Mastoid ; Muscle Spasticity* ; Muscles ; Paraparesis, Spastic* ; Spinal Cord Diseases

Periodic limb movements during sleep (PLMS) are frequently observed in the general population, although such movements may be associated with a variety of medical and neurological disorders. Human T-lymphotropic virus type I-associated myelopathy (HAM) is a rare progressive disease in which abnormalities are rarely observed on spinal images. We present the case of a 55-year-old woman with PLMS who was later diag-nosed with HAM. The current case indicates that HAM can be considered a possible cause of PLMS.
Extremities* ; Female ; Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 ; Humans* ; Middle Aged ; Nervous System Diseases ; Nocturnal Myoclonus Syndrome ; Spinal Cord Diseases*

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas other than mycosis fungoides and Sezary syndrome are heterogeneous; they deseve further scientific attention about their natural history and effective therapy. Pleomorphic T-cell lymphoma is a recently defined lymphoma type that can occur in the skin. We report the case of a man in whom such a tumor manifested itself with multiple subcutaneous lesions. The skin biopsy specimen showed diffuse dermal infiltration of atypical lymphocytes with highly pleomorphic nuclei. Testing for the antibody against HTLV-1 was negative and immunohistochemical staiiiing was compatible with pleomorphic T-cell lymphoma.
Biopsy ; Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 ; Lymphocytes ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, T-Cell* ; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous ; Mycosis Fungoides ; Natural History ; Sezary Syndrome ; Skin ; T-Lymphocytes*

BACKGROUND: Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is an aggressive malignancy with very poor prognosis and short survival, caused by the human T-lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-1). The HTLV-1 biomarkers trans-activator x (TAX) and HTLV-1 basic leucine zipper factor (HBZ) are main oncogenes and life-threatening elements. This study aimed to assess the role of the TAX and HBZ genes and HTLV-1 proviral load (PVL) in the survival of patients with ATLL. METHODS: Forty-three HTLV-1-infected individuals, including 18 asymptomatic carriers (AC) and 25 ATLL patients (ATLL), were evaluated between 2011 and 2015. The mRNA expression of TAX and HBZ and the HTLV-1 PVL were measured by quantitative PCR. RESULTS: Significant differences in the mean expression levels of TAX and HBZ were observed between the two study groups (ATLL and AC, P=0.014 and P=0.000, respectively). In addition, the ATLL group showed a significantly higher PVL than AC (P=0.000). There was a significant negative relationship between PVL and survival among all study groups (P=0.047). CONCLUSION: The HTLV-1 PVL and expression of TAX and HBZ were higher in the ATLL group than in the AC group. Moreover, a higher PVL was associated with shorter survival time among all ATLL subjects. Therefore, measurement of PVL, TAX, and HBZ may be beneficial for monitoring and predicting HTLV-1-infection outcomes, and PVL may be useful for prognosis assessment of ATLL patients. This research demonstrates the possible correlation between these virological markers and survival in ATLL patients.
Adult ; Biomarkers ; Human T-lymphotropic virus 1* ; Humans ; Leucine Zippers ; Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell* ; Oncogenes ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prognosis ; RNA, Messenger ; T-Lymphocytes ; Taxes* ; Trans-Activators

Human T-cell lymphotrophic virus type I (HTLV-I) is a causative agent of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL). The viral transcriptional activator Tax encoded by the HTLV-I genome is thought to play critical roles in the activation of nuclear factor kappaB(NF-kappaB) as well as in the transformation of human T lymphocytes and the induction of tumor and leukemia. In this report, we suggest that RelA subunit of NF-kappaB might play an important role in Tax-induced p53 inactivation. Using antisense oligonucleotides, the ability of Tax inhibiting p53 transactivation was blocked by RelA, but not p50 or c-rel, antisense oligonucleotides in C81 HTLV-1-transfected cell line. The inability of p50 or c-rel antisense oligonucleotides in blocking the Tax-mediated inhibition of p53 function was not due lack of activity, since NF-kappaB activation was specifically blocked by these oligonucleotides. Also, we demonstrate by using co-immunoprecipitation assays that p53 interacts with RelA in HTLV-I transformed cells and their binding became stronger by the overexpression of Tax in 293T cells. These results suggest the possibility that the physical interaction between p53 and RelA correlates with Tax-induced p53 inhibition.
Cell Line ; Genome ; Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 ; Humans* ; Immunoprecipitation ; Leukemia ; Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell ; NF-kappa B* ; Oligonucleotides ; Oligonucleotides, Antisense ; T-Lymphocytes* ; Taxes ; Transcriptional Activation

A quantitative real-time PCR assay was developed to measure the proviral load of human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) in peripheral blood. The technology utilizes special primers and Taqman MGB fluorescence probe to measure amplification products from the gag-pro-pol polyprotein gene of HTLV-I. HTLV-I copy number was normalized to the amount of cellular DNA by quantitation of the beta-actin gene, The amplification system was sensitive to detect 5 copy/microL. The standard curve had a good linearity when the quantity for the gene was between 10(3) and 10(7) copy/microL (R2 = 0.999). Good reproducibility was observed in each intra- and inter-assay. We also measured proviral load in peripheral blood in 12 HTLV-I seropositive former blood donors. Proviral load for HTLV-I infected donors ranged from 0.015 to 12.819 copy/cell in WBC with the mean of 3.116 copy/cell.
Gene Products, gag ; genetics ; Gene Products, pol ; genetics ; Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Molecular Probes ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Viral Proteins ; genetics