So....
HTLV-1, unlike the distantly related retrovirus HIV, has an immunostimulating effect, which, however, turns out to be immunosuppressive. The virus activates a subset of T-helper cells called Th1 cells. The result is a proliferation of Th1 cells and overproduction of Th1 related cytokines (mainly IFN- and TNF-).
The HIV (prev know as HTLV-III) infects the T Helper cells (containing a glycoprotein surface molecule called CD4), and reprograms these CD4 cells with the help of the enzyme reverse transcriptase to produce more viral particles which then bud out of the CD4 cells to infect other CD4 cells eventually destroying them.
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