Plasmatic proinflammatory chemokines levels are tricky markers to monitoring HTLV-1 carriers

The human T‐cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV‐1) is present throughout the world and is associated with HTLV‐1‐associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) and other inflammatory conditions. The pathogenesis of HAM/TSP involves a chronic inflammatory response in central nervous system (CNS), with the presence of HTLV‐1 infected cells and HTLV‐1‐specific CD8+ lymphocytes. Chemokines may have a role in the infiltration of these cells into the CNS. In this context, the present study analyzed the level of plasmatic chemokines CCL2 (MCP‐1), CCL5 (RANTES), IL8 (CXCL8), CXCL9 (MIG), and CXCL10 (IP‐10) and HTLV‐1 proviral load from peripheral blood in 162 asymptomatic carriers and 136 HAM/TSP patients to determine the differences that be associated with the clinical status of the HTLV‐1 infection. The results showed that patients with HAM/TSP have significantly higher levels of IL8 and CXCL9, and that the level of IL8, CXCL9 and CXCL10 was significantly greater in HTLV‐1 infected individuals with high (>1%) than those with low proviral load (