Dynamic evolution and different pathogenesis of HTLV-1 across multiple continents revealed by next generation sequencing technology

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18KK0230
• Research Category: Fund for the Promotion of Joint International Research (Fostering Joint International Research (B))
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 49:Pathology, infection/immunology, and related fields
• Research Institution: Kumamoto University
• Principal Investigator: Satou Yorifumi 熊本大学, ヒトレトロウイルス学共同研究センター, 教授 (70402807)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 上野 貴将 熊本大学, ヒトレトロウイルス学共同研究センター, 教授 (10322314) ; 勝屋 弘雄 佐賀大学, 医学部, 助教 (80632041)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-10-09 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: HTLV-1 / 国際共同研究

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We performed international collaborative research for HTLV-1 infection by forming a global network. First, we have analyzed HTLV-1 provirus in Japan. We characterized 100 infected individuals and determined whole proviral sequence by using DNA-capture-seq and published the result in Cell Reports 2019. Second, we analyzed serum from HIV-1-infected individuals in Tanzania and found there was no HTLV-1 positive individuals. Third, we worked with Prof Mangano in Argentina in South American continent, but the study is now stopped due to COVID-19. Fourth, we collaborated with researchers in UK and analyzed HIV/HTLV coinfected individuals. We have found that the PVL of both HIV-1 and HTLV-1 in coinfected individuals was significantly higher than that of the respective virus in mono-infected individuals. The degree of oligoclonality of both HIV-1- and HTLV-1-infected cells in co-infected individuals was also greater than that in mono-infected subjects. The study has been published in JID 2021.

Free Research Field

ウイルス学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

得られた意義を以下に列挙する。①日本の約１００症例の感染者のHTLV-1プロウイルスの完全長を解析し、今後のHTLV-1研究推進に資するデータを報告した。②中央アフリカ地域ではHTLV-1感染者が多いと予想したが、タンザニアで294名調べ、陽性者無しとの結果であった。アフリカの中でも地域差が大きいと考えられた。③HIV-1, HTLV-1二重感染者検体解析を行い、単感染者に比べて感染細胞の割合が高いことを見出した。１つのメカニズムとしてウイルス組み込み部位の分布が異なっている事を示した。HIV-1, HTLV-1二重感染者におけるウイルス制御に向けた１つの基礎的データになると考えられた。