First evidence of HERV-H activity reduction after treatment in ADHD

[natasa778]

Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) have been associated with many complex diseases including neuropsychiatric diseases, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In ADHD an over-expression of HERV-H family in peripheral blood mononuclear cells has been documented. It has been hypothesized that HERVs may represent the link between genetic and environmental risk factors, contributing to the clinical onset and/or to the progression of the neurodevelopmental disease. The effect of pharmacological treatment on HERV transcriptional activity in psychiatric disorders has been attracting attention. Using a real-time RT-PCR we investigated the influence of methylphenidate on HERV transcription in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of a young patient with ADHD. In this clinical case we describe for the first time the reduction of HERV-H expression and the significant improvement of ADHD symptoms after 6 months of methylphenidate treatment.

...
This finding suggests that transcriptional activation of certain retroviral elements might be associated with the disease. HERVs have dynamic effects on gene function, and there are several potential mechanisms through which they can cause human disease (Diemet al 2012). A recent study demonstrated that the expression of HERV proteins increases the promoter activation of some genes, such as the dopamine receptor

full text http://www.newmicrobiologica.org/PUB/allegati_pdf/2016/3/237.pdf

 

[natasa778]

from the same team, also just published

Transcriptional activity of human endogenous retrovirus in Albanian children with autism spectrum disorders

The presence of increased HERV-H transcriptional activity in all autistic patients could be understood as a constant epigenetic imprinting of the disease, potentially useful for early diagnosis and for the development of effective novel therapeutic strategies.

 

[osisposis]

good finds, however I disagree with them as far as genetic influences without environmental exposure playing a role, logic says whenever a whole family suffers like illnesses maybe they should consider looking at where they all spend the most time, and environmental exposure studies on identical twins has shown that you can have genetics that make you seceptable to certain diseases but they may never come about without a environmental exposure to bring it about. I am glad to see this and I hope many more studies like this come out because it's obvious that something causes mental illnesses other than abuse or high stress situations, and if someone wanted to say get a clue they might go somewhere where theres some chemicals in use in a closed in building and hang out for awhile and see if it gives them a headacke, for real, it's not rocket science to get a clue on how some indoor environments can affect the brain. people need to start waking up, some schools are the worst and we exspect our children to actually learn something in those nasty environments? I cant even stand to go into some schools because with my hypersensitivities the smells not only make me fell close to passing out but some send my brain to lalaland pretty quickly.

Generic aspects of the airborne spread of human pathogens indoors and emerging air decontamination technologies.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27590695

 

[osisposis]

New tales told by old infections
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131125164309.htm

Placenta in females, muscle mass in males: Dual heritage of a virus
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/09/160902142228.htm


Profiling gamma-retrovirus integration sites may be a new tool to identify genes promoting specific cancers
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/05/160510084207.htm


Distinct differences in structure, features of retroviruses
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/07/160705183138.htm

 

[wastwater]

I especially like the one on intergration sites for gamma retroviruses