Human T-cell lymphotropic virus tax and Epstein-Barr virus DNA in peripheral blood of multiple sclerosis patients during acute attack.
OBJECTIVE
A study was performed to determine whether persistent or latent viruses are reactivated during the acute attack in relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (MS).


METHODS
DNA of herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and -2), human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), JC virus (JCV) and HTLV-I was searched, using nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR), in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) collected from 14 MS patients on the first day and, twice a week, during an acute attack of the disease.


RESULTS
Viral DNA was detected, in at least one PBMC sample, in all the patients. Interestingly, EBV DNA was found in 42.8% of the patients on the first day, while a sharp increase of the HTLV tax-rex DNA frequency (35.7%) was observed on the tenth day.


CONCLUSIONS
In MS relapse EBV DNA detection is an early, frequent event, while the finding of tax-rex, but not of other HTLV-I genomic regions, is a secondary phenomenon, suggesting that these two factors could interact in the pathogenesis of MS relapses.
Ferrante
P
P
Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Milan, Italy.
Omodeo-Zorini
E
E
Zuffolato
M R
MR
Mancuso
R
R
Caldarelli-Stefano
R
R
Puricelli
S
S
Mediati
M
M
Losciale
L
L
Caputo
D
D
D000328:Adult; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral / Q000502:physiology; D005787:Gene Frequency; D016355:Genes, pX / Q000235:genetics*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
D004279:DNA, Viral