,
Francis W. Ruscetti 2
,
Jaydip Das Gupta 3, Max A. Pfost 1, Kathryn S. Hagen
1, Daniel L. Peterson 1, Sandra K. Ruscetti 4,
Rachel K. Bagni 5, Cari Petrow-Sadowski 6, Bert Gold
2, Michael Dean 2, Robert H. Silverman 3, Judy A.
Mikovits 1*
RETROVIRUSES AND XMRV
This is the
absract of the paper published in the Science Periodical
Published Online October 8, 2009
Science DOI: 10.1126/science.1179052
Detection of an Infectious Retrovirus, XMRV, in Blood Cells of Patients with
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Vincent C. Lombardi 1
,
Francis W. Ruscetti 2
,
Jaydip Das Gupta 3, Max A. Pfost 1, Kathryn S. Hagen
1, Daniel L. Peterson 1, Sandra K. Ruscetti 4,
Rachel K. Bagni 5, Cari Petrow-Sadowski 6, Bert Gold
2, Michael Dean 2, Robert H. Silverman 3, Judy A.
Mikovits 1*
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%) 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 following 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.
1
Whittemore Peterson Institute, Reno, NV 89557, USA.
2 Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, National Cancer
Institute-Frederick, Frederick, MD 21701, USA.
3 Department of Cancer Biology, The Lerner Research Institute, The
Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
4 Laboratory of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer
Institute-Frederick, Frederick, MD 21701, USA.
5 Advanced Technology Program, National Cancer Institute-Frederick,
Frederick, MD 21701, USA.
6 Basic Research Program, Scientific Applications International
Corporation, National Cancer Institute-Frederick, Frederick, MD 21701, USA.
These authors contributed equally to this work.