title: Significant low prevalence of antibodies reacting with simian virus 40 mimotopes in serum samples from patients affected by inflammatory neurologic diseases, including multiple sclerosis.
abstract: Many investigations were carried out on the association between viruses and multiple sclerosis (MS). Indeed, early studies reported the detections of neurotropic virus footprints in the CNS of patients with MS. In this study, sera from patients affected by MS, other inflammatory (OIND) and non-inflammatory neurologic diseases (NIND) were analyzed for antibodies against the polyomavirus, Simian Virus 40 (SV40). An indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), with two synthetic peptides, which mimic SV40 antigens, was employed to detect specific antibodies in sera from patients affected by MS, OIND, NIND and healthy subjects (HS). Immunologic data indicate that in sera from MS patients antibodies against SV40 mimotopes are detectable with a low prevalence, 6%, whereas in HS of the same mean age, 40 yrs, the prevalence was 22%. The difference is statistically significant (P = 0.001). Significant is also the difference between MS vs. NIND patients (6% vs. 17%; P = 0.0254), whereas no significant difference was detected between MS vs OIND (6% vs 10%; P>0.05). The prevalence of SV40 antibodies in MS patients is 70% lower than that revealed in HS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, Section of Pathology, Oncology and Experimental Biology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mazzoni
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, Section of Pathology, Oncology and Experimental Biology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pietrobon
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, Section of Pathology, Oncology and Experimental Biology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Masini
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, Section of Pathology, Oncology and Experimental Biology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: John Charles
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Rotondo
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Sciences and Specialized Surgeries, Section of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gentile
authors.affiliation: Unit of Neuroradiology, University Hospital of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fainardi
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Sciences and Specialized Surgeries, Section of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Casetta
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Sciences and Specialized Surgeries, Section of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castellazzi
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Sciences and Specialized Surgeries, Section of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Granieri
authors.affiliation: Unit of Neurology, University Hospital of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Caniati
authors.affiliation: Unit of Neurology, University Hospital of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Rosaria
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Tola
authors.affiliation: Clinical Laboratory Analysis, University Hospital of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guerra
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, Section of Pathology, Oncology and Experimental Biology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Fernanda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Martini
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, Section of Pathology, Oncology and Experimental Biology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tognon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013539:Simian virus 40 / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G