Longer dinucleotide repeat polymorphism in matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) gene promoter which correlates with higher HTLV-I Tax mediated transcriptional activity influences the risk of HTLV-I associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP)

• Published in: Journal of neuroimmunology 2004-11, Vol.156 (1), p.188-194
• Main Authors: Kodama, Daisuke, Saito, Mineki, Matsumoto, Wataru, Sabouri, Amir H., Izumo, Shuji, Arimura, Kimiyoshi, Usuku, Koichiro, Bangham, Charles R.M., Osame, Mitsuhiro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Dinucleotide repeat polymorphism; Dinucleotide Repeats - genetics; Gene Products, tax - physiology; HAM/TSP; HTLV-I; Human T-lymphotropic virus 1; Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 - physiology; Humans; Jurkat Cells; Male; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 - genetics; Middle Aged; MMP-9; Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic - enzymology; Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic - genetics; Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic - virology; Polymorphism, Genetic; Promoter; Promoter Regions, Genetic; Risk Factors
• ISSN: 0165-5728; 1872-8421
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2004.07.007

Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) has been reported to be expressed in various inflammatory disorders including human T cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). HTLV-I-infected T-cells expressed high levels of MMP-9 via viral transactivator Tax mediated activation of the MMP-9 promoter. To investigate whether the d(CA) repeat polymorphism in MMP-9 promoter affects the risk of developing HAM/TSP, we compared the allele frequencies between 200 HAM/TSP patients and 200 HTLV-I seropositive asymptomatic carriers (HCs). The longer d(CA) repeat alleles of MMP-9 promoter, which was associated with higher Tax-mediated transcriptional activity, was more frequently observed in HAM/TSP patients than HCs ( p