RETRACTED: Detection of an infectious retrovirus, XMRV, in blood cells of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a debilitating disease of unknown etiology that is estimated to affect 17 million people worldwide. Studying peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from CFS patients, we identified DNA from a human gammaretrovirus, xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV), in 68 of 101 patients (67%) as compared to 8 of 218 (3.7%) healthy controls. Cell culture experiments revealed that patient-derived XMRV is infectious and that both cell-associated and cell-free transmission of the virus are possible. Secondary viral infections were established in uninfected primary lymphocytes and indicator cell lines after their exposure to activated PBMCs, B cells, T cells, or plasma derived from CFS patients. These findings raise the possibility that XMRV may be a contributing factor in the pathogenesis of CFS.
Lombardi
Vincent C
VC
Whittemore Peterson Institute, Reno, NV 89557, USA.
Ruscetti
Francis W
FW
Das Gupta
Jaydip
J
Pfost
Max A
MA
Hagen
Kathryn S
KS
Peterson
Daniel L
DL
Ruscetti
Sandra K
SK
Bagni
Rachel K
RK
Petrow-Sadowski
Cari
C
Gold
Bert
B
Dean
Michael
M
Silverman
Robert H
RH
Mikovits
Judy A
JA
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000821:virology*; D017988:Gammaretrovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D015686:Gene Products, env / Q000032:analysis; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000032:analysis; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000821:virology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000821:virology; D012192:Retroviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D015686:Gene Products, env; D015683:Gene Products, gag; D004247:DNA