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Latent herpes simplex virus type 1 in normal and Alzheimer's disease brains
Author(s) -
Jamieson Gordon A.,
Maitland Norman J.,
Wilcock Gordon K.,
Craske John,
Itzhaki Ruth F.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/jmv.1890330403
Subject(s) - herpes simplex virus , virology , vero cell , biology , polymerase chain reaction , herpesviridae , virus , thymidine kinase , gene , viral disease , genetics
A viral aetiology has long been suspected for Alzheimer's disease (AD) but until now, techniques have not been sufficiently sensitive to provide clear evidence for or against the presence of any viral genome in AD brain. We have used the very highly sensitive method of polymerase chain reaction to look for herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) DNA, specifically the viral thymidine kinase (TK) gene, in autopsy brain specimens. DNA samples from HSV‐infected and uninfected Vero cells have been examined concurrently to provide standard “HSV‐positive” and “HSV‐negative” samples, the latter guarding also against false positives caused by cross‐contamination. To preclude false negatives, we have checked the presence of the human gene, hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase. In all specimens from 8 AD patients and 6 normal individuals (temporal, frontal and hippocampal), we have found viral TK sequences. In contrast, in preliminary studies on lymphocytes from normals and AD patients, we did not find TK sequences. It is postulated that factors such as number or expression of viral genes and host susceptibility might be related to incidence of AD.