Association of a novel single nucleotide polymorphism in the human perforin gene with the outcome of HTLV-I infection in patients from northeast Iran (Mash-had).

Human T lymphotropic virus I (HTLV-I)-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) recognize the products of the HTLV-I Tax, in the context of HLA-A2 and kill their target through a perforin-dependent mechanism. The efficiency of the CTL response may lead HTLV-I-infected individuals to remain carriers or to the development of HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). Perforin is a cytolytic molecule that contributes to CTL-mediated killing of virus-infected cells.