Increased Expression of Human T Lymphocyte Virus Type I (HTLV-I) Tax11-19 Peptide–Human Histocompatibility Leukocyte Antigen A*201 Complexes on CD4⁺ CD25 ⁺ T Cells Detected by Peptide-specific, Major Histocompatibility Complex–restricted Antibodies in Patients with HTLV-I–associated Neurologic Disease

Human T lymphocyte virus type I (HTLV-I)–associated chronic inflammatory neurological disease (HTLV-I–associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis [HAM/TSP]) is suggested to be an immunopathologically mediated disorder characterized by large numbers of HTLV-I Tax–specific CD8⁺ T cells. The frequency of these cells in the peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid is proportional to the amount of HTLV-I proviral load and the levels of HTLV-I tax mRNA expression. As the stimulus for these virus-specific T cells are immunodominant peptide–human histocompatibility leukocyte antigen (HLA) complexes expressed on antigen-presenting cells, it was of interest to determine which cells express these complexes and at what frequency. However, until now, it has not been possible to identify and/or quantify these peptide–HLA complexes. Using a recently developed antibody that specifically recognizes Tax11-19 peptide–HLA-A*201 complexes, the level of Tax11-19–HLA-A*201 expression on T cells was demonstrated to be increased in HAM/TSP and correlated with HTLV-I proviral DNA load, HTLV-I tax mRNA load, and HTLV-I Tax–specific CD8⁺ T cell frequencies. Furthermore, CD4⁺ CD25⁺ T cells were demonstrated to be the major reservoir of HTLV-I provirus as well as Tax11-19 peptide–HLA-A*201 complexes. These results indicate that the increased detection and visualization of peptide–HLA complexes in HAM/TSP CD4⁺ CD25⁺ T cell subsets that are shown to stimulate and expand HTLV-I Tax–specific CD8⁺ T cells may play an important role in the pathogenesis of HTLV-I–associated neurological disease.