EOS, an Ikaros family zinc finger transcription factor, interacts with the HTLV-1 oncoprotein Tax and is downregulated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of HTLV-1-infected individuals, irrespective of clinical statuses.

These findings suggest that both Tax and HBZ can alter the expression of EOS through undetermined mechanisms, and dysregulated expression of EOS in PBMCs of HTLV-1 infected individuals may contribute to the pathological progression of HTLV-1-associated diseases, such as ATL and HAM/TSP.