Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus in chronic fatigue syndrome and prostate cancer.
Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV) is a gamma retrovirus that has been associated with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and prostate cancer. The search for viral causes of these syndromes was reignited by the finding that RNase L activity was low in hereditary prostate cancer and some CFS patients. The six strains of XMRV that have been sequenced have greater than 99% identity, indicating a new human infection rather than laboratory contamination. DNA, RNA, and proteins from XMRV have been detected in 50% to 67% of CFS patients and in about 3.7% of healthy controls. XMRV infections could be transmitted to permissive cell lines from CFS plasma, suggesting the potential for communicable and blood-borne spread of the virus and potentially CFS. This troubling concept is currently under intense evaluation. The most important steps now are to independently confirm the initial findings; develop reliable assays of biomarkers; and to move on to investigations of XMRV pathophysiology and treatment in CFS, prostate cancer, and potentially other virus-related syndromes, if they exist.
Baraniuk
James N
JN
Georgetown University, 3800 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007-2197, USA. baraniuj@georgetown.edu
D015415:Biomarkers; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D004722:Endoribonucleases / Q000378:metabolism; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D009052:Leukemia Virus, Murine / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D012192:Retroviridae Infections / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology*; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
D015415:Biomarkers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins; D004722:Endoribonucleases; C031956:2-5A-dependent ribonuclease