Neurotropic viruses and Alzheimer's disease: a search for varicella zoster virus DNA by the polymerase chain reaction.
BACKGROUND
In studies on the possible role of viruses in the aetiopathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) DNA was detected by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in a high proportion of normal elderly people and of patients with Alzheimer's disease. The combination of HSV1 and a host factor, the type 4 allele of the gene for apolipoprotein E, is a strong risk factor for the disease.


METHODS
Brain specimens were examined for another herpes virus, varicella zoster (VZV), which, like HSV1, is neurotropic, has a predilection for residing latently in the peripheral nervous system, and can reactivate.


RESULTS
Using primers for sequences in the VZV origin of replication gene or thymidine kinase gene, VZV DNA was not found in any of 24 samples (18 HSV1 positive), from 17 patients with Alzheimer's disease, nor in 20 samples (12 HSV1 positive from 12 aged normal people. Hybridisation of the PCR products with a radiolabelled oligonucleotide probe capable of detecting less than 10 copies of the target sequence, confirmed the absence of VZV DNA.


CONCLUSIONS
The presence of one neurotropic virus--HSV1--and the absence of another--VZV--in aged human brains is consistent with a role for HSV1 in the aetiology of Alzheimer's disease.
Lin
W R
WR
Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, UMIST, Manchester, UK.
Casas
I
I
Wilcock
G K
GK
Itzhaki
R F
RF
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000821:virology*; D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral