Modeling the T-cell dynamics and pathogenesis of HTLV-I infection

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) infection in humans causes a chronic infection of CD4+ T cells, and is associated with various disease outcomes, among them with the development of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL). The T-cell dynamics after HTLV-I infection can be described in a mathematical model with coupled differential equations. The infection process is modeled assuming cell-to-cell infection of CD4+ T cells. The model allows for CD4+ T cell subsets of susceptible, latently infected and actively infected cells as well as for leukemia cells. Latently infected T cells may harbor the virus for several years until they become activated and able to infect susceptible T cells. Uncontrolled proliferation of CD4+ T cells with monoclonal DNA-integration of HTLV-I results in the development of ATL. The model describes basic features that characterize HTLV-I infection; the chronic infection of CD4+ T cells, the increasing number of abnormal cells and the possible progression to ATL.