Quiet Dynamite: XMRV as an Infectious Agent

[akrasia]

First "formal" salvo?



Abstract from 12th International Conference On Malignancies In AIDS
And Other Acquired Immunodeficiencies (ICMAOI)
April 26-27, 2010
Lister Hill Auditorium
NIH Main Campus

http://oham.cancer.gov/objects/pdf/2010ICMAOI_Program_Book.pdf (p. 33)
http://www.capconcorp.com/meeting/12thICMAOI/agenda.asp

-----------------------------------------------

P7. Repeated Detection of Infectious Xenotropic Murine Virus-Related
Virus (XMRV) in Human Neoplasia and Neuroimmune Diseases (listed as
'Pathogenic Consequences of Xenotropic Murine Virus-related Virus
(XMRV) Expression in the Development of Chronic Diseases' on website)


Francis Ruscetti1, Vincent Lombardi2, Max Pfost2, Kathryn Hagen2, Judy
Mikovits2
1Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, NCI-Frederick, Frederick, MD, USA
2Whittemore-Peterson Institute, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA


Background
In 2006, sequences of a novel human retrovirus, XMRV, were identified
and reported to be associated with a subset of hereditary prostate
cancer. Although the public health implications of this finding were
not immediately clear, two recent papers show XMRV is clearly a health
concern. One clearly shows that XMRV expression in the proliferating
prostate stroma and epithelium of prostate cancer patients [1]. The
second describes the detection of XMRV in about two-thirds of patients
diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome [2]. We will present data that
in these and other neuroimmune diseases and cancers, the host mounts a
humoral response to XMRV and infected patients are viremic.

Methods
A combination of classical retroviral methods, including RT-PCR,
full-length genomic sequencing, immunoblotting of viral expression in
activated PBMC, passage of infectious virus in plasma and PBMC to
indicator cell lines, and presence of antibodies to XMRV in plasma,
allowed XMRV detection in more than 75% of the CFS patients studied.
Since then, several publications in Europe using DNA-PCR of blood
products failed to detect XMRV sequences in patients with either
disease and have created considerable controversy. Reliable methods
for the biological and molecular amplification to detect XMRV in
unstimulated blood cells and plasma have been developed. Some DNA-PCR
negative patient blood samples represent false negatives and molecular
analysis using DNA from unstimulated blood cells is not yet sufficient
for XMRV identification.

Results
In mice, viruses related to XMRV cause B-cell lymphoma usually by
insertional mutagenesis activating a cellular oncogene as well as
causing chronic neurological diseases. We will present a case of
development of such B cell lymphoma in CFS patients. XMRV-infected
individuals with both neuroimmune disease and cancer develop an immune
response to XMRV. The isolation of infectious XMRV from prostate
cancer patients will be shown for the first time. Pathogenic
consequences of this infection will be discussed

Conclusion
XMRV, a retrovirus of unknown pathogenic potential is infectious in humans.

References
1. Schlaberg et al.: XMRV is present in malignant prostate epthelium
and is associated with prostate cancer. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
106:16351, 2009.
2. Lombardi et al.: Detection of an infectious retrovirus, XMRV, in
blood cells of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. Science
326:585, 2009.
-

 

[George]

This was published in April? huh, did we miss it somehow?

 

[akrasia]

The conference was in April; I guess they are just releasing the collection of papers now.

To my ears it sounds as if he's laying down a marker. There is nothing tentative about what he says. Thrilling and chilling.

 

[George]

passage of infectious virus in plasma and PBMC to
indicator cell lines, and presence of antibodies to XMRV in plasma,
allowed XMRV detection in more than 75% of the CFS patients studied

I don't know about a marker. I think the test he's referring to is the serology test created by the WPI. My guess is that Dr. Le Grice is going to try to push his test out in front of the WPI test but it doesn't matter. The important point here is the publishing of a second paper find XMRV in 75% of the CFS patients studied.

This along with the NIH and FDA numbers in the low 80% are great! I think you are dead on about "Quite Dynamite". It looks as if the DHHS is finally allowing publishing of some of the backed up papers.

Go you! Thanks for finding and sharing.

 

[George]

I notice on page 10 that Frank Ruscetti was there but not any of the others of the Lombardi et al team. Looks like he's backin' this horse 100% or maybe 1000% (big grins)

 

[akrasia]

George,

I don't remember if the Science paper stressed the "infectious" nature of the illness, even though I remember it alluded to infecting cells in vitro. I guess the pronouncement without qualification that XMRV is infectious in humans caught my eye. Thanks for your comments.

 

[Trooper]

Quiet Dynamite... I've not heard that before - good one : )

 

[muffin]

Yup. It seems the storm is a comin....

This paper must be why the quacks at the CDC released today the paper that we CFIDS/ME people are nuts: "The prevalence of paranoid, schizoid, avoidant, obsessive-compulsive and depressive personality disorders were significantly higher in CFS and ISF compared to the well controls. The CFS cases had significantly higher scores on neuroticism, and significantly lower scores on extraversion than those with ISF or the well controls. Personality features were correlated with selected composite characteristics of fatigue. Conclusions: Our results suggest that CFS is associated with an increased prevalence of maladaptive personality features and personality disorders. This might be associated with being noncompliant with treatment suggestions, displaying unhealthy behavioral strategies and lacking a stable social environment."
See V99's post on " Personality Features and Personality Disorders in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Populat" http://content.karger.com/ProdukteDB...ktNr=223864#AC

 

[muffin]

Is anyone really surprised that XMRV would be contagious in humans? Anyone want to explain why families (related and unrelated) get CFIDS? Why is my poor husband on that couch day and night and feeling sick for the last 6 years - after living with a terribly sick woman with CFIDS for the previous 10 years before HE got sick? Because XMRV (and whatever it tags along with) is CONTAGIOUS. And not just in the blood supply/products but via many other means. Remember the study (that was on the CDC website) that showed XMRV in the lungs? Wouldn't a cough spread XMRV?

Has anyone thought about sending this study on to our buddy Bill Reeves??? I don't email him, but others might. Just to give him a little jab in his butt esp. after his stupid personality disorder study. Sort of a tit-for-tat kind of thing.

 

[SOC]

Has anyone thought about sending this study on to our buddy Bill Reeves??? I don't email him, but others might. Just to give him a little jab in his butt esp. after his stupid personality disorder study. Sort of a tit-for-tat kind of thing.

If he doesn't read previous research on the very topic he's studying (as pointed out in another thread about that stupif personality disorder study), why would he bother to read a research paper that he doesn't want to believe? Idiot.

EDIT: I couldn't decide whether to change my "stupif" typo to "stupid" or "stupifying", so I'll let the reader choose.

 

[Eric Johnson from I&I]

Regarding 'personality disorder':

This study investigated the relative rates of personality disturbance in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Individuals who met the CDC criteria for CFS were compared to two other fatiguing illness groups, mild multiple sclerosis and depression, as well as sedentary healthy controls. [...] The depressed group had significantly more personality disorders and elevated neuroticism scores compared with the other three groups. The CFS and MS subjects had intermediary personality scores which were significantly higher than healthy controls. The CFS group with concurrent depressive disorder (34% of the CFS group) was found to account for most of the personality pathology in the CFS sample. [...]

My point, which I have mentioned before, is that MS and systemic lupus and probably some other systemic diseases are similar in terms of 'this kind of thing.'

 

[muffin]

You are correct Sickofcfs: but..

I did email this study to WSJ Amy Dockser Marcus. We need to keep her updated on the good, solid research.

Also sent an email to Frieden and Unger about that stupid study on our "personality disorders". I don't expect them to read my email(s) but for me, I must complain. What a stupid study. How can anyone stand behind something so stupid and poorly done?

Again, see the last CYA sentence.

 

[muffin]

As usual Erik, you are correct

Pick a disease, any disease that does major damage to quality of life and then test to see how that person feels. I am aware they picked from Publisher's Clearninghouse and asked if the person on the phone was tired - but, any disease is going to show people trying to cope and struggle like crazy.
What a stupid, worthless study. YOUR taxpayer dollars being used as toilet paper...

 

[muffin]

Eric: Sorry about spelling your first name wrong. I'm a brainless idiot! Sorry again!

 

[SOC]

I did email this study to WSJ Amy Dockser Marcus. We need to keep her updated on the good, solid research.

Also sent an email to Frieden and Unger about that stupid study on our "personality disorders". I don't expect them to read my email(s) but for me, I must complain. What a stupid study. How can anyone stand behind something so stupid and poorly done?

Again, see the last CYA sentence.

Thanks! Those are excellent people to notify about that (couldn't come up with a decent adjective) paper.

Maybe our "pals" at Bad Science need to see a real example of bad science.

Yeah, that last sentence is a beaut. I bet somebody made them put that in there at the last minute.

The CDC is starting to look like the Keystone Cops of the research world. CFS research, anyway.

 

[Eric Johnson from I&I]

Consider zees mein sehr geehrten Herrn: dass zee undisputed #1 reference on systemic lupus is >>Dubois' Lupus<<, of which I have the quite recent 7th edition. And surely the sweet kernals of Pathognosis await, O my friends and only brothers:

Psychiatric disorders have been reported to a variable extent [lolol] in SLE patients (refs) and are likely multifactorial in etiology (ref). Eg in a review of 21 studies, Wekking (ref) found that the overall prevalence of psychiatric disorders ranged from 17% to 71% [lol] with depression being the most common syndrome. THey found no consist. relation. with other manifest. of SLE and emphas. the import. of psychosocial stress as an assoc. factor (refs) [lollolollololllollololllollolool]. Indeed, those studies that have incl. other chronic disease control groups, such as patients with RA, have reported comparable freq.s and types of psychiat. disorders in control and SLE groups (ref). But zees, mein Herrn, does not negate the import. of recog. and managing psych. disorders in SLE, and one must remember that a partic. tragic outcome of such disorders in SLE patients is suicide (refs). Alors! - allonz-y!

Right, I'm sure that only mental phenomena could contribute to suicide. Please note that all abbreviations and other weird stuff are of course found in the original. Not on your life would I dare to mess with this book of pure truth. I'm sorry to say, there may not be anything about personality disorders in here. But I love that stuff!

 

[Eric Johnson from I&I]

DOn't worry bout the EriK! That happens sometimes!

Maybe I'll send a short excerpt of Dubois to Ms Marcus later.

You gotta love that CDC - always finding way to pitch in even if they can't detect XMRV. THanks guys!!!!!

 

[SOC]

Eg in a review of 21 studies, Wekking (ref) found that the overall prevalence of psychiatric disorders ranged from 17% to 71%

[my bolding]

ROTFLMAO! Well that's definitive, isn't it?

So SLE patients get this crap, too? Who is this Dubois character?

 

[Eric Johnson from I&I]

Dubois [du boyz] was an old-time judeo-american dude from Jersey, who started this book, many editions back. He was one of the first to draw attention to the 'neuropsychiatric' symptoms. (They do use that word.) Such symptoms tend to be neglected in favor of those that are externally quantifiable. Fatigue and cognitive problems are still relatively ignored today in diseases like Crohns and sarcoidosis, but patients consider them some of the worst symptoms.

I don't think all people in the lupus field consider the 'neurotic' symptoms to be *quite* so psychogenic, necessarily, as the author I quoted (the book is written by ~25 authors). I have no clue what Dubois himself thought. There is also a very common psychosis in lupus (5-10%), and rather few people today adhere to a psycho-genesis for frank psychoses. However, I don't think any physio-genesis has ever been nailed down for *any* of the mental phenomena of lupus, 'neurotic' or psychotic. There's not really one for schizophrenia either, according to most authors. But nonetheless, most workers stopped believing schizophrenia is likely to be caused by the psyche, for various other reasons, some of them perhaps rather intuitive.

 

[Eric Johnson from I&I]

> So SLE patients get this crap, too?

They also get this:

Omdal et al associated depression and hysteria with fatigue [...] In summary, most lupus patients complain of fatigue. The most common associations are inflammation, fibromyalgia and psychosocial stressors [I guess those two are deeply related], deconditioning, and the effects of medication.

Some of those associations may be true, but there is a real lack of emphasis on "correlation != causation." When they say 'fibromyalgia' they basically mean muscle pain I believe, not 'fibromyalgia syndrome' = FMS. What hysteria means, I don't even know.

The paper by Omdal and others is "Fatigue in patients with [SLE]: the psychosocial aspects." J Rheumatol 2003.