Human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 and 2 (HTLV-1/2) Western blot indeterminate results are a problem for blood banks in endemic areas. To determine the prevalence of HTLV-1/2 infection among indeterminate donors, we analyzed 130 cases from Mashhad, an HTLV-1/2 endemic area in Northeast Iran. The most frequent Western blot bands were GD21 alone (37.2%) followed by rgp46-2 alone (32.1%). We further tested 40 available DNA samples of these cases by PCR for viral sequences, tax, gag, and pol, and found five cases (12.5%) to be positive for two or three HTLV-1 genes. There were no significant age, sex, and blood group differences between PCR-positive and PCR-negative cases. Among PCR-positive individuals, the most prevalent Western blot bands were variable combinations of rgp46-1, GD21, and gp21. The mean of the optical density (OD) of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test was significantly higher in PCR-positive individuals. The frequency of the rgp46-1 band was also significantly higher in PCR-positive cases compared to PCR-negative ones. In conclusion, the majority of HTLV-indeterminate donors lack the HTLV provirus and therefore are not considered infected. However, in some cases with higher ODs in the ELISA test and seroreactivity to env proteins, rgp46-1 and GD21 in particular may be indicative of infection and need further evaluation by molecular methods.
Despite seminal contributions provided by in vitro studies to the field of hematopoiesis, our present knowledge of mammalian lymphohemopoiesis and the mechanisms governing differentiation and self-renewal of hematopoietic stem cells has been derived in most part from elegant in vivo studies. The inability to apply such an approach to the examination of the human hematopoietic system is the primary reason why several aspects of human hematopoiesis including human stem cell biology are still poorly understood. To overcome the inability to probe human hematopoiesis in vivo, researchers have "humanized" animals via the transplantation of human hematopoietic progenitor cells and other tissues in an attempt to create human-animal chimera suitable for investigating human lymphohematopoiesis in vivo. To date, several of these "humanized" animal models have been developed. During their relatively short existence, human-animal models have contributed substantially to the field of experimental hematology. The development, peculiarities, shortcomings, and applications of these animal models as well as their potential use in exploring the field of human lymphohematopoiesis are the focus of this review.
Abstract- The human T cell lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-1) is associated with adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) and other disorders, including a slowly progressive demyelinating paraparesis, known as HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). Dermatologic manifestations are common in patients infected with HTLV-1 infection. In this study, we evaluated the dermatologic lesions associated with HAM/TSP patients in Mashhad, Iran. Dermatological findings of 37 patients with HAM/TSP were investigated and compared with those of an HTLV-1 negative control group. A cutaneous biopsy was performed as needed, and the results were statistically analyzed. Results of the present study showed that 34 cases with HAM/TSP (91.9%) and 24 cases in the control group (64.9%) had at least one skin lesion or history of skin lesion before (P=0.010). Xerosis was found in 22 persons (59.5%) in the case group and 4 persons in the control group (10.8%) (P=0.000). Only xerosis was significantly associated with HAM/TSP. Skin manifestations were quite frequent in patients with HAM/TSP. Xerosis was significantly associated with HAM/TSP
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