HTLV-1-host interactions facilitate the manifestations of cardiovascular disease.

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.