Clinical and basic research on the pathogenic mechanisms of HTLV-I uveitis

为了探讨HTLV-I型葡萄膜炎（HU）的发病机制，我们对HU患者的眼内浸润细胞和外周血单核细胞（PBM）进行了免疫学和分子生物学研究。采用聚合酶链式反应（PCR）检测HU患者眼液中HTLV-I的前病毒DNA， RT-PCR检测眼浸润细胞中HTLV-I基因mRNA水平的表达。RT-PCR检测各组细胞因子（il -1 α、IL-2、IL-3、IL-4、IL-6、IL-8、IL-10、tnf - α、ifn - γ、GM-CSF）的基因表达，并检测眼眶浸润细胞中IL-6的mRNA表达。采用极限稀释法从HU患者的眼浸润细胞和PBM中建立T细胞克隆（TCC）。电镜观察发现，眼液TCC中表达HTLV-I相关蛋白和病毒颗粒。眼液和PBMC的TCC产生il -1 α、IL-6、IL-8、tnf - α、ifn - γ和GM-CSF。这些结果表明，HTLV-I感染细胞存在于HU患者的眼睛中，HTLV-I感染细胞产生多种调节眼内炎症的细胞因子。

To investigate the pathogenic mechanisms of HTLV-I uveitis (HU), immunological and molecular biological studies were carried out using infiltrating cells in the eye and peripheral blood monocytes (PBM) of patients with HU.The proviral DNA of HTLV-I was detected in the ocular fluid of HU patients by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the gene expression of HTLV-I was detected from the ocular infiltrating cells at mRNA level by RT-PCR.In addition, the gene expression of cytokines (IL-1alpha, IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma and GM-CSF) was examined by RT-PCR and the mRNA of IL-6 was detected from ocular infiltrating cells. T cell clones (TCC) were established from ocular infiltrating cells and PBM of HU patients by limiting dilution methods. HTLV-I proviral DNA (+) TCC expressed HTLV-I associated proteins and viral particles were found in TCC from ocular fluid by electron microscopic examination. The TCC from ocular fluid and PBMC produced IL-1alpha, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma and GM-CSF.These findings suggest that HTLV-I infected cells are presented in the eye of HU patients and the HTLV-I infected cells produce a variety of cytokines which modulate the intraocular inflammation.