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Ancient Viruses Wreak New Havoc

natasa778

Senior Member
Messages
1,774
http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/32990/title/Ancient-Viruses-Wreak-New-Havoc/

"...Though researchers had suspected that ERVs could reactivate and recombine, the study provides direct evidence of such an event, says immunologist David Markovitz of the University of Michigan, who was not involved with the study. “It’s extremely interesting that the mice activate or reactive their expression of ERVs in the absence of antibodies, ...

Previous data have indicated that signals from bacteria in the mouse gut could lead to increased EVR expression, but that antibodies usually block those microbial signals. Thus, Kassiotis’s team hypothesized that in the absence of such antibodies in their immunodeficient mice, invading microbes could activate ERV expression. Indeed, when placed in germ-free environments, or fed acidic water that would limit their gut microbes, the immune-deficient mice experienced less viral reactivation…"
 

Shell

Senior Member
Messages
477
Location
England
And yet again it starts with "immune compromised" animals. Healthy mice didn't respond, so ... wait a minute I've read further down and some other bloke has picked up on this too.
“The interesting wrinkle on this study is the apparent importance of the immunodeficiency,” sad virologist John Coffin, of Tufts University
That is important isn't it?