Detection of Borna disease virus-reactive antibodies from patients with affective disorders by western immunoblot technique.
Borna disease (BD) virus is a partially characterized neurotropic agent with a predilection for neurons and astrocytes in the limbic system and cerebrum of infected hosts. Although it usually causes a fatal encephalitis, some laboratory animals which have been experimentally inoculated can develop a persistent non-fatal infection characterized by a neuro-behavioral syndrome akin to human manic-depression. Using immunofluorescent techniques, we previously observed BD virus-specific antibodies in the sera of 4.5% of affectively ill patients, with the highest titers present in bipolar patients. More recently, we have developed a sensitive Western blot assay for the detection of anti-BD virus antibodies to a 38/40 kDa and 24 kDa protein in human serum. In the present study, we screened 138 affectively ill patients and 117 healthy controls and observed a significantly great proportion of patients with antibodies to the 38/40 kDa protein (P < 0.0001), the 24 kDa protein (P < 0.05) and both the 38/40 kDa and 24 kDa proteins (P < 0.025). These data extend prior reports on the presence of BD virus-specific antibodies in psychiatric patients, and suggest that a BD virus-like agent may be associated with affective illness in humans.
Fu
Z F
ZF
Wistar Institute of Anatomy, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Amsterdam
J D
JD
Kao
M
M
Shankar
V
V
Koprowski
H
H
Dietzschold
B
B
D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000523:psychology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001890:Borna Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000523:psychology; D001891:Borna disease virus / Q000276:immunology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019965:Neurocognitive Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000523:psychology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral