Inmunología Evaluación del estado redox y de algunos marcadoresinmunológicos en individuos seropositivos al viruslinfo-trópico de células T humanas tipo I

Human T cell lymphotrophic virus I (HTLV-I) is a retrovirus that causes adult cell leukemia and the neurological disorder known as tropical spastic paraparesis. Pathology apparently results from the expression of viral and cellular genes which might lead to cell transformation, immortalization and disease. The aim of the present study is to compare levels of lipid peroxidation, peroxidation potential and sulfhydryl content measured as oxidative stress indicators in 9 asymptomatic HTLV-I seropositive (HTLV-I+) and 10 healthy individuals (HTLV-I -). These parameters are related to changes in the levels of CD3, CD4, CD8 and CD25 T cell subsets. Spectrophotometric techniques were assayed for evaluation of oxidative stress indicators and flow cytometry for determination of T cell subsets. Significant differences were found (p < 0,05) between HTLV-I+ and HTLV-Isubjects regarding to stress indicators, except the concentration of total sulfhydryl group. The CD4+ T lymphocytes count stays inside the normal intervals whereas the CD8+ T lymphocytes count was slightly increased. Relative values of CD25 also showed significant differences between HTLV-I+ and HTLV-Isubjects. These results reveal both the presence of a pro-oxidant state with the activation of the cytotoxic cellular response and the activation of cellular gene expression. These determinations may be of interest for knowledge of physiopathology of the infection and for possible preventive therapeutic interventions.