Evidence for the relation of herpes simplex virus type 1 to Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease.
The peripheral and central nervous system are harbouring herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and this virus has been proposed to be implicated in the aetiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We tested whether the HSV-1 genome is found indeed in the brain of controls, patients with AD and Down syndrome (DS) and whether HSV-1 infectious proteins in brain were induced. Moreover, we tested whether interleukin (IL)-6, a marker for neuroinflammation, is found in brains of AD and DS. HSV-1 glycoprotein D gene, as well as viral phosphoprotein and glycoprotein were detected in all brain samples. IL-6 was detectable in seven out of the eight AD and all of the eight DS patients, but only three out of ten controls in the frontal cortex. IL-6 in cerebellum was detectable in all AD and DS patients, but only three out of nine controls. In conclusion, we propose that the detection of HSV-1 genome and HSV-1 inducible protein IL-6 not only shows the presence in human brain, but may indicate a role for HSV-1 in the process of neuroinflammation and apoptosis, known to occur in both neurodegenerative disorders, AD and DS.
Department of Pediatrics, University of Vienna, Austria.
M S
MS
Cheon
M
M
Bajo
T
T
Gulesserian
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N
Cairns
G
G
Lubec
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000032:analysis; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics
D006023:Glycoproteins; D015850:Interleukin-6; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C039447:glycoprotein D, Human herpesvirus 1