Detection of the soluble form of the Fas/Apo-1 receptor in patients with human T-lymphotropic virus type 1-associated myelopathy

ABSTRACT

Fas/Apo-1 mediates apoptosis via Fas and Fas ligand transduction. recently, a soluble form of Fas [sFas] was described which seems to be functionally implicated in the Fas signaling system, suggesting a relationship between some disorders and sfas function. To determine is sFas is involved in the pathogenesis of HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis [HAM/TSP], we measured sfas-levels in sera from normal controls, human T lymphotropic virus type-1 [hTLV-1] healthy carriers and patients with HAM/TSP using a highly sensitive enzymelinked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]. The sFas of normal individuals, HTLV-1 carriers, and patients with HAM/TSP, was 0.14 +/- 0.11, 0.26 +/- 0.25, and 0.39 +/- 0.35 ng/ml, respectively. although the level of sFas in patient's group with HAM/TSP, was significantly higher in comparsion to that of normal controls [p< 0.05], the individual values were highly variable within the groups. These results suggest that sFas may play an important role in the pathogenesis of HAM/TSP and that serum sFas may be related to clinical activity in HAM/TSP patients