title: Absence of HTLV-I and HTLV-II proviral genome in the brains of patients with multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
abstract: Previous studies have failed to provide serological evidence to incriminate a retroviral infection in the cause of multiple sclerosis. Gene amplification techniques have also failed to identify retroviral footprints in DNA from peripheral blood leukocytes. Here we provide evidence that proviral DNA of HTLV-I and HTLV-II is not found in the central nervous system tissues of patients with multiple sclerosis, patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and controls.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Dekaban
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Hudson
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Rice
mesh_terms: D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000382:microbiology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015367:Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011533:Proviruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral