[Pathogenesis of pulmonary involvement in HTLV-I-associated myelopathy (HAM): studies on T-cell function]

It has been shown that there are pulmonary involvements in patients with HTLV-1-associated myelopathy (HAM). Pulmonary lesions found in HAM are characterized by T-lymphocytosis and increased levels of soluble IL-2 receptor in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Peripheral blood lymphocytes from HAM patients proliferated spontaneously when cultured in vitro. Lymphocytes proliferated were positive for CD3 and HLA-DR staining. There were CD4+ cells and CD8+ cells in proliferating T-lymphocytes 5 days after cultivation. Culture supernatants of proliferating cells showed an increased soluble IL-2 receptor. These results suggest that activated T-cells play an important role in developing pulmonary lesions in HAM.