parvofighter
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Serious-minded scientists at the journal Retrovirology are asking important "What if" questions about XMRV. (Seems they are undeterred by Groom et al's failure to find XMRV in the UK). This latest concern about XMRV comes from the organ/tissue transplant area, where they are expressing very real concerns about XMRV, AND are pushing for testing for, and further research into XMRV.
Summary of the following abstract:
Commentary
Detection of a gammaretrovirus, XMRV, in the human population: Open questions and implications for xenotransplantation
Joachim Denner
Retrovirology 2010, 7:16doi:10.1186/1742-4690-7-16
Published: 10 March 2010 Abstract (provisional)
Summary of the following abstract:
- There is a shortage of human tissue/organ material for transplants
- Porcine (pig) transplants are one way to address this shortage
- Pig transplants can contain PERV's (I know, I know), or Porcine Endogenous Retroviruses.
- PERVS are known to combine synergistically with other human viruses (much like alcohol can powerfully combine with drugs in college students), which in turn can be disease-producing.
- PERVS are similar to XMRV, and the PERV industry doesn't want their tissues/organs to be rejected if they are mistaken to be contaminated with XMRV
- Organ/tissue transplant recipients will need to be tested for XMRV to prevent the possibility of XMRV recombining with PERVS to produce a new virus that could affect the transplant/tissue acceptance.
- If XMRV itself is proven to be pathogenic (and based on the CROI Conference on Retroviral Infection results - see thread http://www.forums.aboutmecfs.org/showthread.php?3241-HOT!-Coffin-Sharma-and-Goff-Conference-on-Retroviral-Infections...&highlight=croi- we're heading in that direction)
- If XMRV, in recombination with a porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV), creates a new, disease-causing virus in tissue/organ transplant recipients.
Commentary
Detection of a gammaretrovirus, XMRV, in the human population: Open questions and implications for xenotransplantation
Joachim Denner

Retrovirology 2010, 7:16doi:10.1186/1742-4690-7-16
Published: 10 March 2010 Abstract (provisional)
XMRV (xenotropic murine leukaemia virus-related virus) is a gammaretrovirus that has been detected in human patients with prostate carcinoma, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and also in a small percentage of clinically healthy individuals. It is not yet clear whether the distribution of this virus is primarily limited to the USA or whether it is causally associated with human disease. If future investigations confirm a broad distribution of XMRV and its association with disease, this would have an impact on xenotransplantation of porcine tissues and organs. Xenotransplantation is currently being developed to compensate for the increasing shortage of human material for the treatment of tissue and organ failure but could result in the transmission of porcine pathogens. Maintenance of pathogen-free donor animals will dramatically reduce this risk, but some of the porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs) found in the genome of all pigs, can produce infectious virus and infect cultured human cells. PERVs are closely related to XMRV so it is critical to develop tests that discriminate between them. Since recombination can occur between viruses, and recombinants can exhibit synergism, recipients should be tested for XMRV before xenotransplantation.
In other words, we have another powerful stakeholder group fighting for good science, and a better understanding of XMRV. :Retro smile: