Lack of detectable human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I sequences in samples from multiple sclerosis patients.
Recently, inconclusive results have followed the early data on the possible association between multiple sclerosis (MS) and human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) infection. For this reason, we examined this hypothesis using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to study samples of differing origin from Italian MS patients. In particular, we developed a systematic analysis of paraffin-embedded brain white matter from histologically defined lesions of 14 MS patients using PCR and primer sets specific for HTLV-I sequences; additionally, cerebrospinal fluids (CSFs) from 12 patients and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from subjects at the early and late phase of the disease were investigated for free HTLV-I virions and specific proviral sequences, respectively. In agreement with some groups who reported lack of HTLV-I sequences in PBMCs of MS patients but in clear contrast with others, we failed to detect specific viral sequences using this broad approach.
Menzo
S
S
Institute of Microbiology, University of Ancona, Italy.
Manzin
A
A
Bagnarelli
P
P
Varaldo
P E
PE
Grandi
G
G
Giuliani
G
G
Cazzato
G
G
Giacca
M
M
Clementi
M
M
D001483:Base Sequence; D001921:Brain / Q000382:microbiology; D002460:Cell Line; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
D004279:DNA, Viral