Herpesvirus type 1 serum antibodies and brain tumors in humans.
Sixty-five patients underwent craniotomy for brain tumors; of these 35 had glioblastoma multiforme (GM). The GM cases, as a group, showed significantly higher serum titers for herpesvirus type 1 (HSV-1) neutralizing antibodies (NT) than the non-glioblastoma cases. Both the GM group and the pituitary adenoma group had high levels of HSV-1 serum antibodies with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). These data, combined with other evidence, lead us to speculate that HSV-1 infections may be associated with certain brain tumors in humans. However, coincidental causes for these elevated HSV-1 titers must be ruled out.
D000236:Adenoma / Q000276:immunology; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000276:immunology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000556:secondary; D002528:Cerebellar Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008527:Medulloblastoma / Q000276:immunology; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D008579:Meningioma / Q000276:immunology; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000276:immunology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral