1. HTLV-1 p12 modulates the levels of prion protein (PrPC) in CD4+ T cells.
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Silva De Castro, Isabela, Granato, Alessandra, Meyer Mariante, Rafael, Antonio Lima, Marco, Celestino Leite, Ana Claudia, de Melo Espindola, Otávio, Pise-Masison, Cynthia A., Franchini, Genoveffa, Linden, Rafael, and Echevarria-Lima, Juliana
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SCRAPIE ,T cells ,HTLV ,PRIONS - Abstract
Introduction: Infection with human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is endemic in Brazil and is linked with pro-inflammatory conditions including HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP), a chronic neuroinflammatory incapacitating disease that culminates in loss of motor functions. The mechanisms underlying the onset and progression of HAM/TSP are incompletely understood. Previous studies have demonstrated that inflammation and infectious agents can affect the expression of cellular prion protein (PrPC) in immune cells. Methods: Here, we investigated whether HTLV-1 infection affected PrPC content in cell lines and primary CD4
+ cells in vitro using flow cytometry and western blot assays. Results: We found that HTLV-1 infection decreased the expression levels of PrPC and HTLV-1 Orf I encoded p12, an endoplasmic reticulum resident protein also known to affect post-transcriptionally cellular proteins such as MHC-class I and the IL-2 receptor. In addition, we observed a reduced percentage of CD4+ T cells from infected individuals expressing PrPC, which was reflected by IFN type II but not IL-17 expression. Discussion: These results suggested that PrPC downregulation, linked to both HTLV-1 p12 and IFN-γ expression in CD4+ cells, may play a role in the neuropathogenesis of HTLV-1 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2023
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