Possible pathogenic nature of the recently discovered TT virus: does it play a role in autoimmune rheumatic diseases?
Pathogenesis of viral origin has long been suggested in autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Beside the well-defined virus induced transient or chronic rheumatic diseases often resembling systemic autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, viruses can contribute to disease pathogenesis by several different pathomechanisms. TT virus is a recently discovered virus of extremely high genetic diversity which commonly infects humans. Despite accumulated evidence on the biological characteristics of TTV, its pathogenicity is still in question; many consider TTV as a harmless endosymbiont. The recent paper overviews the biology of TT virus and investigates the hypothesis that TTV might have a causative role in human diseases with special attention to the possibility that TTV might trigger autoimmunity in rheumatic disorders.
Gergely
Peter
P
National Institute of Rheumatology and Physiotherapy, Frankel Leó u 38-40, H-1023 Budapest, Hungary.
Perl
Andras
A
Poór
Gyula
G
D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D004266:DNA Virus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000821:virology*; D022783:Torque teno virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*