       Document 0459
 DOCN  M9620459
 TI    Sporadic ALS/MND: a global neurodegeneration with retroviral
       involvement?
 DT    9602
 AU    Westarp ME; Ferrante P; Perron H; Bartmann P; Kornhuber HH; Department
       of Neurology, University of Ulm, Germany.
 SO    J Neurol Sci. 1995 May;129 Suppl:145-7. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/96059169
 AB    Sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis may be an aetiologically
       heterogenous disease. We confirmed elevated circulating IgG immune
       complexes, and altered IgG seroreactivities against human retroviral
       antigens (HIV-2 and HTLV immunoblots) in overlapping subgroups of
       patients. Together with preliminary findings of a positive polymerase
       chain reactivity for human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV.tax/rex) in blood
       leukocytes of 5 out of 14 sALS patients, we interpret this as evidence
       for a retroviral involvement in this relentlessly progressive, often
       asymmetrically spreading neurodegeneration. The possibility of a
       secondary phenomenon seems unlikely, yet cannot be completely ruled out.
 DE    Adult  Aged  Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis/*PATHOLOGY/*VIROLOGY
       Antigens, Viral/ANALYSIS  Human  HIV-1/IMMUNOLOGY  HIV-2/IMMUNOLOGY
       HTLV-I/IMMUNOLOGY  IgG/ANALYSIS  Immunoblotting  Middle Age  Motor
       Neuron Disease/*PATHOLOGY/*VIROLOGY  Nerve Degeneration/*PHYSIOLOGY
       Retroviridae Infections/*PATHOLOGY/*VIROLOGY  Slow Virus
       Diseases/*PATHOLOGY/*VIROLOGY  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

