Antibody to reverse transcriptase of human retroviruses in multiple sclerosis.
HTLV-1, HIV-1 and HIV-2 western blot analysis of sera from patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), from patients with other neurological diseases and from blood donors, revealed a rather frequent cross-reactivity with retroviral proteins in the MS group, though no patient was positive with the corresponding specific ELISA serology. Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference between the MS group and the two control groups for HIV-1 and HIV-2 reverse transcriptase fragments and for HTLV-1 p24. The general significance of these observations is discussed in the light of a retroviral hypothesis for the aetiology of MS. It is suggested that, if a retrovirus is present in MS patients, it does not necessarily belong to the HTLV sub-family and could as well be a lentivirus, like Visna virus, the causative agent of a demyelinating disease in sheep which is one--natural--model for MS.
Perron
H
H
Department of Virology, University Hospital, Grenoble, France.
Geny
C
C
Genoulaz
O
O
Pellat
J
J
Perret
J
J
Seigneurin
J M
JM
D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003429:Cross Reactions / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D054303:HIV Reverse Transcriptase; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000276:immunology*; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology*; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000276:immunology*; D012191:Retroviridae Proteins / Q000276:immunology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D015483:HIV Antibodies; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies; D012191:Retroviridae Proteins; C072416:reverse transcriptase, Human immunodeficiency virus 2; D054303:HIV Reverse Transcriptase; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase