Retrovirus & ME/CFS, MS and Autoimmunity

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>>>> 24 June 2008 <<<<

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_http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release.do?id=871774_

(http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release.do?id=871774)

 

 

 

 

SOURCE: HHV-6 Foundation

 

 

Jun 23, 2008 10:00 ET

 

 

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Highlighted Links: HHV-6 Foundation

_http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/mmframe?prid=409461 & attachid=784831_

(http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/mmframe?prid=409461 & attachid=784831)

 

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Ancient Retrovirus May Contribute to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Multiple

Sclerosis and Autoimmunity

 

 

Smoldering Infections of Two Common Viruses EBV and HHV-6 Cause Inherited

Retrovirus Genes to Activate

 

 

BALTIMORE, MD--(Marketwire - June 23, 2008) -

 

 

Brigitte Huber, PhD, of the Tufts University School of Medicine, presented

evidence at a medical conference that suggested that a reactivated ancient

retrovirus embedded in the human genome may be active in chronic fatigue

syndrome (CFS) and multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Danish scientists at the

same

conference suggested that the activation of this retrovirus, dormant in

healthy individuals, could be the reason why autoimmune conditions worsen with

viral infections.

 

 

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Multiple Sclerosis Patients at Increased Risk

From the Effects of HERV-K18 Activation

 

" Patients with profoundly fatiguing diseases such as MS and CFS may be

particularly susceptible to HERV-K18 activation, " said Dr. Huber. The

announcement

was made at the International Symposium on Viruses in CFS and Post-Viral

Fatigue, a satellite conference of the 6th International Conference on HHV-6 &

7. Using an SNP-based genotyping method, Dr. Huber found that both MS and CFS

patients (whose illness had been triggered by infectious mononucleosis) were

at a higher relative risk for containing HERV-K18 variants known to induce

superantigen activity. Superantigens are proteins that are able to induce a

strong undifferentiated T-cell response believed to deplete the immune system

over time.

 

Viral activity and/or immune activation has been shown to trigger HERV-K18

activity. Both Epstein-Barr virus infection (infectious mononucleosis) and

interferon-alpha administration are associated with HERV-K18 activity. " HHV-6

activates HERV-K18 as well, " said Danish investigator Per Hollsberg, MD and

professor from the University of Aarhus In Denmark. His PhD student Vanda

Lauridsen Turcanova presented this data at the same conference. " Furthermore,

this

retrovirus activation may have important consequences for autoimmunity, " he

added.

 

HERV-K18 activation may be the endpoint of an HHV6/EBV interferon pathway

operating in both MS and CFS. HHV-6 is being investigated as a co-factor in

both diseases. Other retroviruses, HERV-H and HERV-W, have been implicated in

MS

by other researchers. Over 75% of MS patients meet the criteria for CFS.

Fatigue is often the most disabling symptom for MS patients. The two diseases

also share characteristics such as grey matter atrophy, impaired cerebral

glucose metabolism, autonomic nervous system activity and altered patterns of

brain activity.

 

Dr. Huber's study suggests that endogenous retroviral activation in CFS and

MS could produce some of the symptoms associated with both diseases. She has

received a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant to study these issues.

Per Hollsberg has done extensive research on the role of EBV and HHV-6 in

multiple sclerosis.

 

 

 

The HHV-6 Foundation

 

The HHV-6 Foundation encourages scientific exchanges and provides grants to

researchers seeking to increase our understanding of HHV-6 infection in a

wide array of central nervous system disorders. Daram Ablashi, the

co-discoverer

of the HHV-6 virus, is the Foundation's Scientific Director.

 

 

Contact:

Kristin Loomis

Executive Director

HHV-6 Foundation

Santa Barbara, CA

805-969-1174

_http://www.hhv-6foundation.org/_ (http://www.hhv-6foundation.org/)

 

 

 

 

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