Comparative analysis of the antibody response to the HTLV-I gag and env proteins in HTLV-I asymptomatic carriers and HAM/TSP patients: an isotype and subclass analysis.

We have compared the immunoglobulin isotype and IgG subclass and the titre of neutralizing antibody responses to the human T cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) between a group of asymptomatic HTLV-I infected individuals and a group with the neurological disease HTLV-I associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). A western blot titration assay and an envelope peptide ELISA were used to determine the presence and titre of isotype and IgG subclass responses to the gag p19 and p24 proteins and to the envelope protein. Significant increases were observed in the number of individuals seropositive for a particular isotype and IgG subclass in the HAM/TSP group versus the asymptomatic group particularly for IgM and IgE and to a lesser extent, IgA. The predominant IgG subclasses to the HTLV-I p19, p24 and envelope proteins were IgG1 and IgG3. This finding was also observed in the titres of the antibody responses to these HTLV-I proteins. The HAM/TSP group also exhibited significantly higher neutralizing antibody titres than the asymptomatic group. This evidence suggests that some form of chronic immune stimulation might be involved in the immunopathogenesis of HAM/TSP. In addition, by following the Western blot titre to the IgM and IgE isotypes in particular, it may be possible to identify asymptomatic individuals progressing to HAM/TSP.