Danny
Hi. I think I know what this means but not sure.
As I mentioned--and is mentioned here--MLV has been used in gene therapy. Viruses are used as vectors--fedex trucks so to speak--to deliver their payload of a correct gene into the genome. You need that good gene to integrate into the genome so when the cell divides you keep getting that good gene.
Anyway, they modified the virus so that (they believed) it would not be harmful and replicate endlessly. They used it because supposedly it doesn't cause infection in humans. HOWEVER, it did have promoter sequences intact that, when the virus integrated into the genome of the bubble babies given MLV/good gene, promoted cancer by switching on human genes for cancer. The bubble babies got cured only to get cancer, which then had to be treated with chemo.
What they're saying here is that if you have XMRV already--and then you get MLV in gene therapy-- (at least I THINK this is what they're saying)--you could get in serious trouble as the XMRV will help the MLV and allow it to replicate. They will work together. In addition they're saying if you're experimenting with or tweaking human cell lines in the lab, and those human cells happen to have XMRV, and you're using MLV to ferry your "cargo" (good gene or whatever else) into those cells you might create a monster...
I'd like to know if they've used MLV in anything else but gene therapy. You have to wonder about it jumping species when they were already conducting experiments in which they inserted MLV into humans.
