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Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is the first isolated retrovirus from humans, and 2-3% of infected individuals suffer from HTLV-1 associated myelopathy tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM-TSP). Previous studies indicated that the risk of HAM-TSP could be correlated with the individuals' genetic alterations. Mashhad is one of the areas infected with HTLV-1 in Iran. This study designed to examine the association between several important gene polymorphisms and HAM-TSP. Genotypes of 232 samples from controls, HTLV-1 carriers, and HAM-TSP patients were examined for FAS-670 (A > G), CXCL10-1447 (A > G), Foxp3-3279 (C > A), IL-18 -137 (C > G), and IL-18 -607 (C > A) gene polymorphisms by different polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques. A non-significant association was observed between FAS-670 A > G, Foxp3-3279 C > A, and IL-18 -137 C > G gene polymorphisms and HAM-TSP. Nevertheless, a significant (P < 0.001) association between CXCL10-1447 A > G and IL-18 -607 C > A gene polymorphisms with HAM-TSP was observed in our study population. As previous studies revealed that the CXCL10 level in the cerebrospinal fluid of HAM-TSP patients was associated with the disease progression, and as we noticed, a direct association was observed between CXCL10-1447 A > G polymorphism and HAM-TSP. These polymorphisms might be recommended as a valuable prediction criterion for the severity of the disease. The contradiction between our findings and other studies regarding IL-18 -607 C > A gene polymorphism might be associated with various factors such as genotypes frequency in diverse races and population heterogeneity in the city of Mashhad.

The chemokine receptor CXCR3 and its ligands CXCL10 and CXCL11 have been suggested to give rise to the most relevant chemokine axis able to facilitate the entrance of immune cells into inflamed tissues and be activated in different inflammatory disorders, such as celiac disease (CD).The aim of this study was to investigate the expression level of CXCR3, CXCL10, and CXCL11 genes in celiac patients compared to healthy controls. Both cohorts have been recruited from the Iranian population.In this case-control study, biopsy specimens were collected from 71 celiac patients (60.5% female) and 90 control subjects (57% female) during 2016. Total RNA was extracted and mRNA expression levels of CXCR3, CXCL10, and CXCL11 genes were investigated by SYBR green qPCR.Based on qPCR and relative quantification method, the mRNA expression levels of CXCR3, CXCL10, and CXCL11 were significantly higher in duodenal biopsies of celiac patients compared to healthy controls in the study population (P = .038, P = .021, and P = .012 respectively).The result of this study showed that CXCR3/CXCL10/CXCL11 signaling axis is overexpressed in the small intestinal mucosa of CD patients compared to controls. This finding might explain the specific enrollment of the main cell populations that infiltrate the epithelium.