Hidden herpes virus may play key role in multiple sclerosis, other brain disorders

[Ecoclimber]

Hidden herpes virus may play key role in multiple sclerosis, other brain disorders

The ubiquitous human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) may play a critical role in impeding the brain's ability to repair itself in diseases like multiple sclerosis. The findings, which appear in the journal Scientific Reports, may help explain the differences in severity in symptoms that many people with the disease experience.

"While latent HHV-6—which can be found in cells throughout the brain—has been associated with demyelinating disorders like multiple sclerosis it has not been clear what role, if any, it plays in these diseases," said Margot Mayer-Proschel, Ph.D., an associate professor at the University of Rochester Medical Center Department of Biomedical Genetics and co-author of the study. "These findings show that, while in the process of hiding from the immune system, the virus produces a protein that has the potential to impair the normal ability of cells in the brain to repair damaged myelin."

It is estimated that more than 80 percent of people have been exposed to HHV6 at some point during their early childhood. HHV-6 is the most common human herpesvirus and infections that occur during childhood often go unnoticed but the virus can cause roseola, which is characterized by a fever and rash in infants....

Provided by: University of Rochester Medical Center

 

[pattismith]

Very interesting!

On the same topic, I read some months ago this article about persistent Chlamydia infection favoured by herpesvirus:

"Here, we demonstrate that co-infection with human herpes virus 6 (HHV6) interferes with the developmental cycle of C. trachomatis and induces persistence. Induction of chlamydial persistence by HHV6 is independent of productive virus infection, but requires the interaction and uptake of the virus by the host cell. On the other hand, viral uptake is strongly promoted under co-infection conditions. Host cell glutathione reductase activity was suppressed by HHV6 causing NADPH accumulation, decreased formation of reduced glutathione and increased oxidative stress. Prevention of oxidative stress restored infectivity of Chlamydia after HHV6-induced persistence. We show that co-infection with Herpes simplex virus 1 or human Cytomegalovirus also induces chlamydial persistence by a similar mechanism suggesting that Chlamydia -human herpes virus co-infections are evolutionary shaped interactions with a thus far unrecognized broad significance."

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0047427

And this one concerning HSV1 and C.Pneumoniae in Alzheimer Disease:

. Our data indicate that both C. pneumoniae and HSV1 can modulate expression of genes associated with AD, and thus could contribute to AD pathology, however these two pathogens likely act via different pathways. Furthermore, for several genes, co-infection with both C. pneumoniae and HSV1 appears to exacerbate the changes in gene expression seen with HSV1 alone.

http://digitalcommons.pcom.edu/posters/5/

 

[Janice Hargreaves]

Also there was this very interesting review paper https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5371890/pdf/pathogens-06-00002.pdf
Herpes viruses is the topic and lots of supporting background stuff.
It seems to me that the attempt to keep closing down the discussion/investigation into the possible effect of herpes viruses because they are ubiquitous is starting to look a little foolish? What am I missing?
I do worry those men in suits with the black maria may now find me and dissappear me?! but it's worth it!

 

[JohnCB]

So our favourite psychiatrists are saying that ME may be triggered by a virus but insist that it cannot be perpetuated by a virus but must be perpetuated by psychiatric means. Meanwhile proper biomedical researchers are saying that a particular virus HHV6 does not trigger MS, a comparable neurological illness, but that the illness is being perpetuated by HHV6.

 

[heapsreal]

So our favourite psychiatrists are saying that ME may be triggered by a virus but insist that it cannot be perpetuated by a virus but must be perpetuated by psychiatric means. Meanwhile proper biomedical researchers are saying that a particular virus HHV6 does not trigger MS, a comparable neurological illness, but that the illness is being perpetuated by HHV6.

Mollaretts meningitis is a chronic reoccurring infection from herpes 2 or varicella virus and probably other infections.