The following is a summary of “Imbalanced IL10/TGF-β production by regulatory T-lymphocytes in patients with HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/ tropical spastic paraparesis,” published in the June 2024 issue of Infectious Disease by Gois et al.
Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection associated with HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) triggers immune activation and proinflammatory cytokine secretion, which T lymphocytes (Tregs) may counter with IL-10 and TGF-β production.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to investigate how CD4+ and CD8+ Tregs and cytokine profiles differed between patients with HAM/TSP, asymptomatic carriers, and uninfected individuals.
They matched asymptomatic HTLV-1 carriers and patients with HAM/TSP by sex and age. The IL10- and/or TGF-β-producing Treg frequencies were quantified using flow cytometry. The HTLV-1 proviral load and mRNA expression of cytokines and cellular receptors in peripheral blood mononuclear cells were quantified using real-time RT-PCR.
The results showed that total frequencies of CD4 + Tregs and IL10-producing CD4 + and CD8 + Treg subsets were significantly higher in patients with HAM/TSP compared to asymptomatic HTLV-1 carriers. Moreover, a positive correlation between the frequency of CD4 + IL10 + Tregs and proviral load in the evaluated patients with HAM/TSP. Additionally, a positive correlation was observed between the gene expression of proinflammatory and regulatory cytokines exclusively within the group of HAM/TSP.
Investigators concluded that increased IL-10-producing Tregs in patients with HAM/TSP suggested a potential link between imbalanced regulatory cytokine production and the characteristic inflammation.
Source: bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12879-024-09494-8
