Tumor necrosis factor alpha production was stimulated by HTLV-I infection of monocytes and microglial cells and could be enhanced by suboptimal amounts of lipopolysaccharide.
We conducted an observational study of 585 RA patients in whom TNF inhibitors were newly introduced as a first biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug in an area in southwestern Japan that is endemic for HTLV-I infection.