However, our observation that in addition to the decrease in the frequency of NK-like cells in patients with HAM/TSP, the blockage of NKG2D also decreased the frequency of NK cells expressing CD107a and increased the proviral load, which argues in favor of NK cells killing HTLV-1-infected cells and participating in the control of the proviral load. Here, KLRK1 is linked to tropical spastic paraparesis.