title: Sporadic ALS/MND: a global neurodegeneration with retroviral involvement?
abstract: Sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis may be an aetiologically heterogenous disease. We confirmed elevated circulating IgG immune complexes, and altered IgG seroreactivities against human retroviral antigens (HIV-2 and HTLV immunoblots) in overlapping subgroups of patients. Together with preliminary findings of a positive polymerase chain reactivity for human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV.tax/rex) in blood leukocytes of 5 out of 14 sALS patients, we interpret this as evidence for a retroviral involvement in this relentlessly progressive, often asymmetrically spreading neurodegeneration. The possibility of a secondary phenomenon seems unlikely, yet cannot be completely ruled out.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Westarp
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferrante
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Perron
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bartmann
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Kornhuber
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000276:immunology; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D016472:Motor Neuron Disease / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D012192:Retroviridae Infections / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D012897:Slow Virus Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G