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Gessain A, Ramassamy JL, Afonso PV, Cassar O. Geographic distribution, clinical epidemiology and genetic diversity of the human oncogenic retrovirus HTLV-1 in Africa, the world's largest endemic area. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1043600. [PMID: 36817417 PMCID: PMC9935834 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1043600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The African continent is considered the largest high endemic area for the oncogenic retrovirus HTLV-1 with an estimated two to five million infected individuals. However, data on epidemiological aspects, in particular prevalence, risk factors and geographical distribution, are still very limited for many regions: on the one hand, few large-scale and representative studies have been performed and, on the other hand, many studies do not include confirmatory tests, resulting in indeterminate serological results, and a likely overestimation of HTLV-1 seroprevalence. For this review, we included the most robust studies published since 1984 on the prevalence of HTLV-1 and the two major diseases associated with this infection in people living in Africa and the Indian Ocean islands: adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) and tropical spastic paraparesis or HTLV-1-associated myelopathy (HAM/TSP). We also considered most of the book chapters and abstracts published at the 20 international conferences on HTLV and related viruses held since 1985, as well as the results of recent meta-analyses regarding the status of HTLV-1 in West and sub-Saharan Africa. Based on this bibliography, it appears that HTLV-1 distribution is very heterogeneous in Africa: The highest prevalences of HTLV-1 are reported in western, central and southern Africa, while eastern and northern Africa show lower prevalences. In highly endemic areas, the HTLV-1 prevalence in the adult population ranges from 0.3 to 3%, increases with age, and is highest among women. In rural areas of Gabon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), HTLV-1 prevalence can reach up to 10-25% in elder women. HTLV-1-associated diseases in African patients have rarely been reported in situ on hospital wards, by local physicians. With the exception of the Republic of South Africa, DRC and Senegal, most reports on ATL and HAM/TSP in African patients have been published by European and American clinicians and involve immigrants or medical returnees to Europe (France and the UK) and the United States. There is clearly a huge underreporting of these diseases on the African continent. The genetic diversity of HTLV-1 is greatest in Africa, where six distinct genotypes (a, b, d, e, f, g) have been identified. The most frequent genotype in central Africa is genotype b. The other genotypes found in central Africa (d, e, f and g) are very rare. The vast majority of HTLV-1 strains from West and North Africa belong to genotype a, the so-called 'Cosmopolitan' genotype. These strains form five clades roughly reflecting the geographic origin of the infected individuals. We have recently shown that some of these clades are the result of recombination between a-WA and a-NA strains. Almost all sequences from southern Africa belong to Transcontinental a-genotype subgroup.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Gessain
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3569, Unité d'Épidémiologie et Physiopathologie des Virus Oncogènes, Paris, France
| | - Jill-Léa Ramassamy
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3569, Unité d'Épidémiologie et Physiopathologie des Virus Oncogènes, Paris, France
| | - Philippe V Afonso
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3569, Unité d'Épidémiologie et Physiopathologie des Virus Oncogènes, Paris, France
| | - Olivier Cassar
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3569, Unité d'Épidémiologie et Physiopathologie des Virus Oncogènes, Paris, France
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Clauze A, Enose-Akahata Y, Jacobson S. T cell receptor repertoire analysis in HTLV-1-associated diseases. Front Immunol 2022; 13:984274. [PMID: 36189294 PMCID: PMC9520328 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.984274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Human T lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV-1) is a human retrovirus identified as the causative agent in adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) and chronic-progressive neuroinflammatory disorder HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). HTLV-1 is estimated to infect between 5-20 million people worldwide, although most infected individuals remain asymptomatic. HTLV-1 infected persons carry an estimated lifetime risk of approximately 5% of developing ATL, and between 0.25% and 1.8% of developing HAM/TSP. Most HTLV-1 infection is detected in CD4+ T cells in vivo which causes the aggressive malignancy in ATL. In HAM/TSP, the increase of HTLV-1 provirus induces immune dysregulation to alter inflammatory milieu, such as expansion of HTLV-1-specific CD8+ T cells, in the central nervous system of the infected subjects, which have been suggested to underlie the pathogenesis of HAM/TSP. Factors contributing to the conversion from asymptomatic carrier to disease state remain poorly understood. As such, the identification and tracking of HTLV-1-specific T cell biomarkers that may be used to monitor the progression from primary infection to immune dysfunction and disease are of great interest. T cell receptor (TCR) repertoires have been extensively investigated as a mechanism of monitoring adaptive T cell immune response to viruses and tumors. Breakthrough technologies such as single-cell RNA sequencing have increased the specificity with which T cell clones may be characterized and continue to improve our understanding of TCR signatures in viral infection, cancer, and associated treatments. In HTLV-1-associated disease, sequencing of TCR repertoires has been used to reveal repertoire patterns, diversity, and clonal expansions of HTLV-1-specific T cells capable of immune evasion and dysregulation in ATL as well as in HAM/TSP. Conserved sequence analysis has further been used to identify CDR3 motif sequences and exploit disease- or patient-specificity and commonality in HTLV-1-associated disease. In this article we review current research on TCR repertoires and HTLV-1-specific clonotypes in HTLV-1-associated diseases ATL and HAM/TSP and discuss the implications of TCR clonal expansions on HTLV-1-associated disease course and treatments.
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Lin E, Panfil AR, Sandel G, Jain P. Novel perspectives on antisense transcription in HIV-1, HTLV-1, and HTLV-2. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1042761. [PMID: 36620051 PMCID: PMC9822710 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1042761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The genome of retroviruses contains two promoter elements (called long terminal repeat or LTR) at the 5' and 3' end of their genome. Although the expression of retroviral genes generally depends on the promoter located in the 5' LTR, the 3' LTR also has promoter activity responsible for producing antisense transcripts. These natural antisense transcripts (NATs) are a class of RNA molecules transcribed from the opposite strand of a protein-coding gene. NATs have been identified in many prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems, as well as in human retroviruses such as human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and HTLV-1/2 (human T-cell leukemia virus type 1/2). The antisense transcripts of HIV-1, HTLV-1, and HTLV-2 have been briefly characterized over the past several years. However, a complete appreciation of the role these transcripts play in the virus lifecycle and the cellular factors which regulate their transcription is still lacking. This review provides an overview of antisense transcription in human retroviruses with a specific focus on the MEF-2 family of transcription factors, the function(s) of the antisense protein products, and the application of antisense transcription models in therapeutics against HIV-1 and HTLV-1 in the context of co-infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward Lin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Amanda R. Panfil
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Center for Retrovirus Research, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Grace Sandel
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Pooja Jain
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- *Correspondence: Pooja Jain,
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4
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Clements DM, Crumley B, Chew GM, Davis E, Bruhn R, Murphy EL, Ndhlovu LC, Jain P. Phenotypic and Functional Analyses Guiding Combination Immune Checkpoint Immunotherapeutic Strategies in HTLV-1 Infection. Front Immunol 2021; 12:608890. [PMID: 33767694 PMCID: PMC7985073 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.608890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) develops in 1–5% of HTLV-1-infected individuals. Previous studies by us and others have shown that the expression of negative immune checkpoint receptors (NCRs) is significantly increased on CD8 T cells in various chronic viral infections and are associated with poor anti-viral immunity. We have previously identified the differential expression of NCRs on CD8 T cells in blood from patients with HAM/TSP and in central nervous system (CNS) tissues of HTLV-1 infected humanized mice and defined the association with neurological complications. In this study, we determined the co-expression patterns of several key NCRs (PD-1, TIGIT, TIM-3, and LAG-3) and their cognate ligands in HTLV-1 infection and assessed how combination strategies targeting these pathways would impact HTLV-1-specific CD8 T-cell effector functions as an approach to reduce CNS disease outcomes. We found that global CD8 T cells from HAM/TSP patients co-express multiple NCRs at significantly higher frequencies than asymptomatic carriers (AC). Moreover, NCR ligands (PVR and PD-LI) on both plasmacytoid and myeloid dendritic cells were also expressed at higher frequencies in HAM/TSP compared to AC. In both AC and HAM/TSP subjects, combination dual PD-L1/TIGIT or triple PD-L1/TIGIT/TIM-3 blockade with monoclonal antibodies resulted in increases in intracellular cytokine expression in CD8 T cells after virus stimulation, particularly CD107a, a marker of degranulation, and TNF-α, a key cytokine that can directly inhibit viral replication. Interestingly, almost all blockade combinations resulted in reduced IL-2+ HTLV-1-specific CD8 T cell frequencies in HAM/TSP subjects, but not in AC. These results define a novel combinatorial NCR immunotherapeutic blockade strategy to reduce HAM/TSP disease burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle M Clements
- Department of Tropical Medicine, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Brenndan Crumley
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Glen M Chew
- Department of Tropical Medicine, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Elijah Davis
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Roberta Bruhn
- Department of Medicine and Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States.,Vitalant Research Institute, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Edward L Murphy
- Department of Medicine and Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States.,Vitalant Research Institute, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Lishomwa C Ndhlovu
- Department of Tropical Medicine, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Pooja Jain
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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Nozuma S, Kubota R, Jacobson S. Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) and cellular immune response in HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis. J Neurovirol 2020; 26:652-663. [PMID: 32705480 PMCID: PMC7532128 DOI: 10.1007/s13365-020-00881-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is associated with adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma and HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). HAM/TSP is an inflammatory disease of the spinal cord and clinically characterized by progressive spastic paraparesis, urinary incontinence, and mild sensory disturbance. The interaction between the host immune response and HTLV-1-infected cells regulates the development of HAM/TSP. HTLV-1 preferentially infects CD4+ T cells and is maintained by proliferation of the infected T cells. HTLV-1-infected cells rarely express viral antigens in vivo; however, they easily express the antigens after short-term culture. Therefore, such virus-expressing cells may lead to activation and expansion of antigen-specific T cell responses. Infected T cells with HTLV-1 and HTLV-1-specific CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes invade the central nervous system and produce various proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, leading to neuronal damage and degeneration. Therefore, cellular immune responses to HTLV-1 have been considered to play important roles in disease development of HAM/TSP. Recent studies have clarified the viral strategy for persistence in the host through genetic and epigenetic changes by HTLV-1 and host immune responses including T cell function and differentiation. Newly developed animal models could provide the opportunity to uncover the precise pathogenesis and development of clinically effective treatment. Several molecular target drugs are undergoing clinical trials with promising efficacy. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the immunopathogenesis of HAM/TSP and discuss the perspectives of the research on this disease.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/drug effects
- CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/virology
- Cell Proliferation/drug effects
- Cytokines/biosynthesis
- Cytokines/immunology
- Disease Models, Animal
- Host-Pathogen Interactions/immunology
- Human T-lymphotropic virus 1/drug effects
- Human T-lymphotropic virus 1/immunology
- Human T-lymphotropic virus 1/pathogenicity
- Humans
- Immunity, Cellular/drug effects
- Immunologic Factors/therapeutic use
- Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell/drug therapy
- Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell/immunology
- Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell/pathology
- Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell/virology
- Lymphocyte Activation/drug effects
- Neurons/drug effects
- Neurons/immunology
- Neurons/pathology
- Neurons/virology
- Neuroprotective Agents/therapeutic use
- Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic/drug therapy
- Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic/immunology
- Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic/pathology
- Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic/virology
- Spinal Cord/drug effects
- Spinal Cord/immunology
- Spinal Cord/virology
- T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic/drug effects
- T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic/virology
- Urinary Incontinence/drug therapy
- Urinary Incontinence/immunology
- Urinary Incontinence/pathology
- Urinary Incontinence/virology
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoshi Nozuma
- Viral Immunology Section, Division of Neuroimmunology and Neurovirology, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ryuji Kubota
- Division of Neuroimmunology, Joint Research Center for Human Retrovirus Infection, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Steven Jacobson
- Viral Immunology Section, Division of Neuroimmunology and Neurovirology, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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Keikha M, Ghazvini K, Eslami M, Yousefi B, Casseb J, Yousefi M, Karbalaei M. Molecular targeting of PD-1 signaling pathway as a novel therapeutic approach in HTLV-1 infection. Microb Pathog 2020; 144:104198. [PMID: 32283259 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2020.104198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
HTLV-1, the first human oncogenic retrovirus, is a type C retrovirus that belongs to the Deltaretrovirus genus. The HTLV-1 genome has 8.5 kbp length, and consists of major genes such as gag, pol, pro, env, and pX region. This retrovirus is considered as one of the most deadly infectious agent for peripheral-blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The infection of HTLV-1 can lead to dangerous complications, such as infective dermatitis (ID), uveitis, arthritis, lymphadenitis, arthropathies, Sjögren's Syndrome (SS), and particularly HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) or Adult T-Cell Leukemia Lymphoma (ATLL). At the moment, Zidovudine (AZT) plus IFN-α is the only treatment available for HTLV-1 infections. Based on scientific studies, alongside the therapeutic regimens, intrinsic mechanisms also play a determinant role in reducing the signs of disease. Programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) signaling pathway, one of the most important checkpoints, has recently received interest, such as the development of a novel generation of anti-tumors. In the present study, we discuss the role of PD-1 signaling pathway in HTLV-1 infection as well as its application as a novel approach for treatment of HTLV-1 infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masoud Keikha
- Antimicrobial Resistance Research Center, Bu-Ali Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Department of Microbiology and Virology, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Kiarash Ghazvini
- Antimicrobial Resistance Research Center, Bu-Ali Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Department of Microbiology and Virology, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Majid Eslami
- Cancer Research Center, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Bahman Yousefi
- Department of Immunology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Jorge Casseb
- Institute of Tropical Medicine of São Paulo/Laboratory of Dermatology and Immunodeficiencies, Department of Dermatology, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, SP, 01246-100, Brazil
| | - Masoud Yousefi
- Antimicrobial Resistance Research Center, Bu-Ali Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Department of Microbiology and Virology, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
| | - Mohsen Karbalaei
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, School of Medicine, Jiroft University of Medical Sciences, Jiroft, Iran.
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Enose-Akahata Y, Oh U, Ohayon J, Billioux BJ, Massoud R, Bryant BR, Vellucci A, Ngouth N, Cortese I, Waldmann TA, Jacobson S. Clinical trial of a humanized anti-IL-2/IL-15 receptor β chain in HAM/TSP. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2019; 6:1383-1394. [PMID: 31402625 PMCID: PMC6689682 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.50820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Human T cell lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV‐1)‐associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is a chronic, progressive, neurological disease. Chronic activation of CD8+ T cells, as evidenced by increased spontaneous lymphoproliferation and HTLV‐1‐specific cytotoxic T cells, has been demonstrated in HAM/TSP patients. Since IL‐2 and IL‐15 stimulate memory CD8+ T cell activity, these cytokines have been implicated in the immunopathogenesis of HAM/TSP. In this phase I trial, we evaluated the safety, pharmacokinetics, and ability of Hu‐Mikβ1, a humanized monoclonal antibody directed toward the IL‐2/IL‐15 receptor β‐chain (IL‐2/IL‐15Rβ: CD122), to saturate CD122 and regulate abnormal immune responses in patients with HAM/TSP by inhibition of IL‐15 action. Methods Hu‐Mikβ1 was administered intravenously at doses of 0.5 mg/kg, 1.0 mg/kg, or 1.5 mg/kg in a total of nine HAM/TSP patients. Five doses of Hu‐Mikβ1 were administered at 3‐week intervals. The clinical response was evaluated using standardized scales. Viral and immunologic outcome measures were examined including HTLV‐1 proviral load, T cell phenotypic analysis and spontaneous lymphoproliferation in HAM/TSP patients. Results There was no significant toxicity associated with Hu‐Mikβ1 administration in HAM/TSP patients. Saturation of CD122 by Hu‐Mikβ1 was achieved in five out of nine HAM/TSP patients. Administration of Hu‐Mikβ1 was associated with inhibition of aberrant CD8+ T cell function including spontaneous lymphoproliferation and degranulation and IFN‐γ expression, especially in HAM/TSP patients that achieved CD122 saturation. Interpretation The treatment with Hu‐Mikβ1 had a number of immunological effects on HAM/TSP patients although no clinical efficacy was observed. We also did not see any dose‐related toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshimi Enose-Akahata
- Viral Immunology Section, Division of Neuroimmunology and Neurovirology, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892
| | - Unsong Oh
- Viral Immunology Section, Division of Neuroimmunology and Neurovirology, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892
| | - Joan Ohayon
- Neuroimmunology Clinic, Division of Neuroimmunology and Neurovirology, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892
| | - Bridgette Jeanne Billioux
- Viral Immunology Section, Division of Neuroimmunology and Neurovirology, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892
| | - Raya Massoud
- Viral Immunology Section, Division of Neuroimmunology and Neurovirology, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892
| | - Bonita R Bryant
- Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892
| | - Ashley Vellucci
- Viral Immunology Section, Division of Neuroimmunology and Neurovirology, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892
| | - Nyater Ngouth
- Viral Immunology Section, Division of Neuroimmunology and Neurovirology, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892
| | - Irene Cortese
- Neuroimmunology Clinic, Division of Neuroimmunology and Neurovirology, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892
| | - Thomas A Waldmann
- Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892
| | - Steven Jacobson
- Viral Immunology Section, Division of Neuroimmunology and Neurovirology, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892
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MEF-2 isoforms' (A-D) roles in development and tumorigenesis. Oncotarget 2019; 10:2755-2787. [PMID: 31105874 PMCID: PMC6505634 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.26763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Myocyte enhancer factor (MEF)-2 plays a critical role in proliferation, differentiation, and development of various cell types in a tissue specific manner. Four isoforms of MEF-2 (A-D) differentially participate in controlling the cell fate during the developmental phases of cardiac, muscle, vascular, immune and skeletal systems. Through their associations with various cellular factors MEF-2 isoforms can trigger alterations in complex protein networks and modulate various stages of cellular differentiation, proliferation, survival and apoptosis. The role of the MEF-2 family of transcription factors in the development has been investigated in various cell types, and the evolving alterations in this family of transcription factors have resulted in a diverse and wide spectrum of disease phenotypes, ranging from cancer to infection. This review provides a comprehensive account on MEF-2 isoforms (A-D) from their respective localization, signaling, role in development and tumorigenesis as well as their association with histone deacetylases (HDACs), which can be exploited for therapeutic intervention.
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9
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Human T cell leukemia virus type 1 and Zika virus: tale of two reemerging viruses with neuropathological sequelae of public health concern. J Neurovirol 2019; 25:289-300. [PMID: 30693421 DOI: 10.1007/s13365-019-00720-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2018] [Revised: 12/16/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) and Zika virus (ZIKV) have been considered neglected viruses of low public health concern until recently when incidences of HTLV-1 and ZIKV were observed to be linked to serious immune-related disease and neurological complications. This review will discuss the epidemiology, genomic evolution, virus-host interactions, virulence factors, neuropathological sequelae, and current perspectives of these reemerging viruses. There are no FDA-approved therapeutics or vaccines against these viruses, and as such, it is important for clinical trials to focus on developing vaccines that can induce cell-mediated immune response to confer long-term protective immunity. Furthermore, attention should be paid to reducing the transmission of these viruses through unprotected sex, infected blood during sharing of contaminated needles, donated blood and organs, and vertical transmission from mother to baby via breastfeeding. There is an urgent need to re-evaluate repurposing current antiviral therapies as well as developing novel antiviral agents with enhanced efficacy due to the high morbidity rate associated with these two reemerging chronic viral diseases.
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10
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Mulherkar R, Karabudak A, Ginwala R, Huang X, Rowan A, Philip R, Murphy EL, Clements D, Ndhlovu LC, Khan ZK, Jain P. In vivo and in vitro immunogenicity of novel MHC class I presented epitopes to confer protective immunity against chronic HTLV-1 infection. Vaccine 2018; 36:5046-5057. [PMID: 30005946 PMCID: PMC6091894 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2018.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2018] [Revised: 06/29/2018] [Accepted: 07/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) has infected as many as 10 million people worldwide. While 90% are asymptomatic, 5% develop severe diseases including adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoka (ATLL) and HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). No vaccine against HTLV-1 exists, and screening programs are not universal. However, patients with chronic HTLV-1 infection have high frequencies of HTLV-1-activated CD8+ T cells, and the two main HLA alleles (A2, A24) are present in 88% of infected individuals. We thus utilized an immunoproteomics approach to characterize MHC-I restricted epitopes presented by HLA-A2+, A24+ MT-2 and SLB-1 cell lines. Unlike traditional motif prediction algorithms, this approach identifies epitopes associated with cytotoxic T-cell responses in their naturally processed forms, minimizing differences in antigen processing and protein expression levels. Out of nine identified peptides, we confirmed six novel MHC-I restricted epitopes that were capable of binding HLA-A2 and HLA-A24 alleles and used in vitro and in vivo methods to generate CD8+ T cells specific for each of these peptides. MagPix MILLIPLEX data showed that in vitro generated epitope-specific CD8+ T cells secreted IFN-ɣ, granzyme B, MIP-1α, TNF-α, perforin and IL-10 when cultured in the presence of MT-2 cell line. Degranulation assay confirmed cytotoxic response through surface expression of CD107 on CD8+ T cells when cultured with MT-2 cells. A CD8+ T-cell killing assay indicated significant antiviral activity of CD8+ T cells specific against all identified peptides. In vivo generated CD8+ T cells similarly demonstrated immunogenicity on ELISpot, CD107 degranulation assay, and MagPix MILLIPLEX analysis. These epitopes are thus candidates for a therapeutic peptide-based vaccine against HTLV-1, and our results provide preclinical data for the advancement of such a vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ria Mulherkar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Aykan Karabudak
- Immunotope, Inc., Pennsylvania Institute for Biotechnology, Doylestown, PA, USA
| | - Rashida Ginwala
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Xiaofang Huang
- Immunotope, Inc., Pennsylvania Institute for Biotechnology, Doylestown, PA, USA
| | - Aileen Rowan
- Department of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Ramila Philip
- Immunotope, Inc., Pennsylvania Institute for Biotechnology, Doylestown, PA, USA
| | - Edward L. Murphy
- Department of Medicine and Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California at San Francisco
- Blood Systems Research Institute San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Danielle Clements
- Department of Tropical Medicine, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
| | - Lishomwa C. Ndhlovu
- Department of Tropical Medicine, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
| | - Zafar K. Khan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Pooja Jain
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Kubota R. Pathogenesis of human T-lymphotropic virus type 1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/cen3.12395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ryuji Kubota
- Division of Molecular Pathology; Center for Chronic Viral Diseases; Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences; Kagoshima University; Kagoshima Japan
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12
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HTLV-1 Infection and Neuropathogenesis in the Context of Rag1 -/-γc -/- (RAG1-Hu) and BLT Mice. J Neuroimmune Pharmacol 2017; 12:504-520. [PMID: 28374110 DOI: 10.1007/s11481-017-9740-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2016] [Accepted: 03/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
To date, the lack of a suitable small animal model has hindered our understanding of Human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV)-1 chronic infection and associated neuropathogenesis defined as HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). The host immune response plays a critical role in the outcome of HTLV-1 infection, which could be better tested in the context of humanized (hu) mice. Thus, we employ here the Balb/c-Rag1-/-γc-/- or Rag1 as well as Bone marrow-Liver-Thymic (BLT) mouse models for engraftment of human CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells. Flow cytometry and histological analyses confirmed reconstitution of Rag1 and BLT mice with human immune cells. Following HTLV-1 infection, proviral load (PVL) was detected in the blood of Rag-1 and BLT hu-mice as early as 2 weeks post-infection (wpi) with sustained elevation in the subsequent weeks followed by Tax expression. Additionally, infection was compared between adult and neonatal Rag1 mice with both PVL and Tax expression considerably higher in the adult Rag1 mice as compared to the neonates. Establishment of peripheral infection led to lymphocytic infiltration with concomitant Tax expression and resulting myelin disruption within the central nervous system of infected mice. In addition, up-regulation in the expression of several immune checkpoint mediators such as programmed cell death-1 (PD-1), T-cell Ig and ITIM domain (TIGIT), and T cell Ig and mucin domain-3 protein (Tim-3) were observed on CD8+ T cells in various organs including the CNS of infected hu-mice. Collectively, these studies represent the first attempt to establish HTLV-1 neuropathogenesis in the context of Rag-1 and BLT hu-mice as potential novel tools for understanding HTLV-1 neuropathogenesis and testing of novel therapies such as immune checkpoint blockade in the amelioration of chronic HTLV-1 infection.
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Ando S, Hasegawa A, Murakami Y, Zeng N, Takatsuka N, Maeda Y, Masuda T, Suehiro Y, Kannagi M. HTLV-1 Tax-Specific CTL Epitope–Pulsed Dendritic Cell Therapy Reduces Proviral Load in Infected Rats with Immune Tolerance against Tax. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2016; 198:1210-1219. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1601557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2016] [Accepted: 11/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Jain P, Lavorgna A, Sehgal M, Gao L, Ginwala R, Sagar D, Harhaj EW, Khan ZK. Myocyte enhancer factor (MEF)-2 plays essential roles in T-cell transformation associated with HTLV-1 infection by stabilizing complex between Tax and CREB. Retrovirology 2015; 12:23. [PMID: 25809782 PMCID: PMC4374383 DOI: 10.1186/s12977-015-0140-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2014] [Accepted: 01/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The exact molecular mechanisms regarding HTLV-1 Tax-mediated viral gene expression and CD4 T-cell transformation have yet to be fully delineated. Herein, utilizing virus-infected primary CD4+ T cells and the virus-producing cell line, MT-2, we describe the involvement and regulation of Myocyte enhancer factor-2 (specifically MEF-2A) during the course of HTLV-1 infection and associated disease syndrome. Results Inhibition of MEF-2 expression by shRNA and its activity by HDAC9 led to reduced viral replication and T-cell transformation in correlation with a heightened expression of MEF-2 in ATL patients. Mechanistically, MEF-2 was recruited to the viral promoter (LTR, long terminal repeat) in the context of chromatin, and constituted Tax/CREB transcriptional complex via direct binding to the HTLV-1 LTR. Furthermore, an increase in MEF-2 expression was observed upon infection in an extent similar to CREB (known Tax-interacting transcription factor), and HATs (p300, CBP, and p/CAF). Confocal imaging confirmed MEF-2 co-localization with Tax and these proteins were also shown to interact by co-immunoprecipitation. MEF-2 stabilization of Tax/CREB complex was confirmed by a novel promoter-binding assay that highlighted the involvement of NFAT (nuclear factor of activated T cells) in this process via Tax-mediated activation of calcineurin (a calcium-dependent serine-threonine phosphatase). MEF-2-integrated signaling pathways (PI3K/Akt, NF-κB, MAPK, JAK/STAT, and TGF-β) were also activated during HTLV-1 infection of primary CD4+ T cells, possibly regulating MEF-2 activity. Conclusions We demonstrate the involvement of MEF-2 in Tax-mediated LTR activation, viral replication, and T-cell transformation in correlation with its heightened expression in ATL patients through direct binding to DNA within the HTLV-1 LTR. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12977-015-0140-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Manuel SL, Sehgal M, Khan ZK, Goedert JJ, Betts MR, Jain P. An altered maturation and adhesion phenotype of dendritic cells in diseased individuals compared to asymptomatic carriers of human T cell leukemia virus type 1. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 2013; 29:1273-85. [PMID: 23750452 DOI: 10.1089/aid.2013.0054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The immunopathogenic mechanisms underlying human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-mediated diseases such as adult T cell leukemia (ATL) and HTLV-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) are not clearly understood. As critical effectors of antiviral immune response, dendritic cells (DCs) are implicated to play an important role in determining the outcome of HTLV-1 infection. However, a complete understanding of their role in any disease pathogenesis requires extensive assessment of the phenotypic and functional state of DCs. To enable this, we developed a polychromatic antibody cocktail comprising key phenotypic and functional markers of DCs and applied it in a patient cohort from the HTLV-1 endemic region, Jamaica, consisted of seronegative controls, asymptomatic carriers (ACs), ATL, and HAM/TSP patients. This ex vivo analyses included two major subsets of blood DCs, myeloid and plasmacytoid (mDCs and pDCs, respectively). The comparative analyses of results demonstrated a decreased pDC frequency in both ATL and HAM/TSP patients as compared to ACs and seronegative controls. Similarly, CD86 expression on both mDCs and pDCs was significantly higher in HAM/TSP (but not ATL) patients compared to ACs. Interestingly, HLA-DR expression was significantly lower on pDCs of patients as compared to carriers; however, for mDCs, only the HAM/TSP group had significantly lower expression of HLA-DR. Unlike HAM/TSP individuals, ATL individuals had higher HLA-ABC expression on mDCs compared to ACs. Finally, both mDCs and pDCs of HAM/TSP patients had significantly higher expression of the programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) compared to ACs. Overall, this study suggests that DCs exhibit a differential phenotypic and functional profile between patients (ATL and HAM/TSP) and carriers of HTLV-1 and could provide an important tool for understanding HTLV-1 immunopathogenesis during infection and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharrón L. Manuel
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Drexel Institute for Biotechnology and Virology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Mohit Sehgal
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Drexel Institute for Biotechnology and Virology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Zafar K. Khan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Drexel Institute for Biotechnology and Virology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - James J. Goedert
- National Cancer Institute, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Michael R. Betts
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Pooja Jain
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Drexel Institute for Biotechnology and Virology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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