title: [Genetic changes in JC virus possibly associated with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy].
abstract: Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a fetal demyelinating disease in the central nervous system. PML was once a rare disease, but it is now relatively common among AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) patients. The immunological state of patients mainly contributes to the pathogenesis of PML. Genetic changes of the etiological agent, however, may also be involved in the development and progression of the disease. The major genetic changes possibly associated with PML include the regulatory region rearrangement and the VP1 loop mutation. Both changes have been identified as genetic changes usually occurring in JCV (JCvirus) DNAs from the brain and cerebrospinal fluid of PML patients. Although it remained to be clarified how these changes are involved in the pathogenesis of PML, accumulating evidence suggests that the VP1 loop mutation is associated with the progression of PML. Here we overview studies (mainly those performed by ourselves) on these genetic changes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yogo
authors.forename: Chie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
authors.forename: Huai-Ying
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Tadaichi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kitamura
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution / Q000235:genetics; D001921:Brain / Q000821:virology; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D018450:Disease Progression; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D005814:Genes, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007577:JC Virus / Q000235:genetics*; D007968:Leukoencephalopathy, Progressive Multifocal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*; D009154:Mutation
chemical_list: D036022:Capsid Proteins; D004279:DNA, Viral; C062481:VP1 protein, polyomavirus