HAS-Flow May Be an Adequate Method for Evaluating Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 Infected Cells in Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1-Positive Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Receiving Antirheumatic Therapies: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Observation Study
Kunihiko Umekita,
Yuki Hashikura,
Akira Takaki,
Masatoshi Kimura,
Katsumi Kawano,
Chihiro Iwao,
Shunichi Miyauchi,
Takeshi Kawaguchi,
Motohiro Matsuda,
Yayoi Hashiba,
Toshihiko Hidaka
Affiliations
Kunihiko Umekita
Division of Respirology, Rheumatology, Infectious Diseases and Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Kihara 5200, Kiyotake, Miyazaki 889-1692, Japan
Yuki Hashikura
Department of Clinical Laboratory, University of Miyazaki Hospital, Kihara 5200, Kiyotake, Miyazaki 889-1692, Japan
Akira Takaki
Department of Clinical Laboratory, University of Miyazaki Hospital, Kihara 5200, Kiyotake, Miyazaki 889-1692, Japan
Masatoshi Kimura
Division of Respirology, Rheumatology, Infectious Diseases and Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Kihara 5200, Kiyotake, Miyazaki 889-1692, Japan
Katsumi Kawano
Department of Clinical Laboratory, University of Miyazaki Hospital, Kihara 5200, Kiyotake, Miyazaki 889-1692, Japan
Chihiro Iwao
Division of Respirology, Rheumatology, Infectious Diseases and Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Kihara 5200, Kiyotake, Miyazaki 889-1692, Japan
Shunichi Miyauchi
Division of Respirology, Rheumatology, Infectious Diseases and Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Kihara 5200, Kiyotake, Miyazaki 889-1692, Japan
Takeshi Kawaguchi
Division of Respirology, Rheumatology, Infectious Diseases and Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Kihara 5200, Kiyotake, Miyazaki 889-1692, Japan
Motohiro Matsuda
Division of Respirology, Rheumatology, Infectious Diseases and Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Kihara 5200, Kiyotake, Miyazaki 889-1692, Japan
Yayoi Hashiba
Institute of Rheumatology, Miyazaki Zenjinkai Hospital, Miyazaki 880-0834, Japan
Toshihiko Hidaka
Institute of Rheumatology, Miyazaki Zenjinkai Hospital, Miyazaki 880-0834, Japan
The study aims to assess the usefulness of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-infected cell analysis using flow cytometry (HAS-Flow) as a monitoring method for adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) development in HTLV-1-positive patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) under treatment with antirheumatic therapies. A total of 13 HTLV-1-negative and 57 HTLV-1-positive RA patients participated in this study, which was used to collect clinical and laboratory data, including HAS-Flow and HTLV-1 proviral load (PVL), which were then compared between the two groups. CADM1 expression on CD4+ cells in peripheral blood (PB) was used to identify HTLV-1-infected cells. The population of CADM1+ CD4+ cells was significantly higher in HTLV-1-positive RA patients compared to HTLV-1-negative RA patients. The population of CADM1+ CD4+ cells was correlated with HTLV-1 PVL values. There were no antirheumatic therapies affecting both the expression of CADM1 on CD4+ cells and PVLs. Six HTLV-1-positive RA patients who indicated both high HTLV-1 PVL and a predominant pattern of CADM1+ CD7neg CD4+ cells in HAS-Flow can be classified as high-risk for ATL progression. HAS-Flow could be a useful method for monitoring high-risk HTLV-1-positive RA patients who are at risk of developing ATL during antirheumatic therapies.
