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Atherosclerosis is a multifactorial life-threatening disease which an epidemiologic study in Northeastern Iran showed its association with HTLV-1 infection. Therefore, a cross-sectional study of 39 newly diagnosed subjects with angiography test in three groups including 14 coronary artery disease + HTLV-1 + (CAD + HTLV-1 + ), 8 CAD - HTLV-1 + , and 17 CAD + HTLV-1 - patients and 11 healthy subjects (CAD - HTLV-1 - ) were conducted. In the present study, Tax and proviral load (PVL) as HTLV-1 virulence factors, along with host chemokine receptor 1 (CCR1), and CCR2 were investigated. Real-time PCR TaqMan method was carried out for PVL measurement and HTLV-1-Tax, CCR1, and CCR2 expressions in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Furthermore, the main risk factors, lipid profile, and complete blood count (CBC) were assessed. Expression of CCR1 in CAD + HTLV-1 + group was higher than CAD - HTLV-1 + (P = 0.01) and healthy subjects (P = 0.02). Expression of CCR1 in CAD + HTLV-1 + was higher in comparison with CAD + HTLV-1 - group but did not meet 95% CI (P = 0.02), but meaningful at 91% CI. In addition, expression of CCR2 in CAD + HTLV-1 + subjects was higher than CAD - HTLV-1 + and CAD + HTLV-1 - (P = 0.001, P = 0.005, respectively). In CAD + HTLV-1 - subjects, CCR2 was higher than CAD - HTLV-1 + (P = 0.03). The mean PVL in CAD + HTLV-1 + group is more than CAD - HTLV-1 + (P = 0.041). In HTLV-1 + patients Tax had a positive correlation with cholesterol (R = 0.59, P = 0.01), LDL (R = 0.79, P = 0.004) and a negative correlation with HDL (R = -0.47, P = 0.04). These correlations were stronger in CAD + HTLV-1 + . Findings showed that HTLV-1 could alter the expression of CCR2 and, less effect, on CCR1. Moreover, the strong correlation between CCR2 and HTLV-1-Tax with cholesterol, LDL and HDL showed that Tax as the main HTLV-1 virulence factor in cytokine deregulation might be had indirect effects on cholesterol, LDL, and HDL levels., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: We studied the existence of agents in aorta biopsies, such as Chlamydia pneumoniae, cytomegalovirus, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae, that are thought to have a role in atherosclerosis etiopathogenesis role, and their association with peripheral artery disease., Materials and Methods: We examined aorta wall and internal mammarian artery (IMA) biopsies taken from two different places in 63 patients in whom coronary artery bypass was performed. In these biopsies, we evaluated the deoxyribonuclease (DNA) of these microorganisms using polymerase chain reaction. From the same patients, we recorded the ankle brachial index, road walking distance information, lipid profile, C-reactive proteins, blood parameters such as fibrinogen, and the patient's operation data., Results: In the nine aorta biopsies taken from 63 patients, we isolated C pneumoniae DNA. In IMA biopsies taken from the same patients, we detected no microorganism DNA (P < 0.001). In the same aorta biopsies, we found no cytomegalovirus or M pneumoniae DNA. We examined 12 patients using an index value of 0.9 in the ankle brachial index evaluation; eight had C pneumoniae in the aorta biopsies (P < 0.001)., Conclusions: We found a significant relationship between C pneumoniae DNA and the existence of peripheral artery disease. In the development of atherosclerosis with C pneumoniae, there may be a determinant pathogen in both the aorta and the peripheral arteries. The nonexistence of C pneumoniae DNA in the IMA biopsies may indicate infectious agents because of the predominant endothelial functions in this artery, and thus its resistance to atherosclerosis., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)