MAB8537 Sigma-AldrichAnti-Herpes Virus 6 Antibody, A & B, gp 60/110

Viruses that are incorporating host cell proteins might trigger autoimmune diseases. It is therefore of interest to identify possible host proteins associated with viruses, especially for enveloped viruses that have been suggested to play a role in autoimmune diseases, like human herpesvirus 6A (HHV-6A) in multiple sclerosis (MS).We have established a method for rapid and morphology preserving purification of HHV-6A virions, which in combination with parallel analyses with background control material released from mock-infected cells facilitates qualitative and quantitative investigations of the protein content of HHV-6A virions. In our iodixanol gradient purified preparation, we detected high levels of viral DNA by real-time PCR and viral proteins by metabolic labelling, silver staining and western blots. In contrast, the background level of cellular contamination was low in the purified samples as demonstrated by the silver staining and metabolic labelling analyses. Western blot analyses showed that the cellular complement protein CD46, the receptor for HHV-6A, is associated with the purified and infectious virions. Also, the cellular proteins clathrin, ezrin and Tsg101 are associated with intact HHV-6A virions.Cellular proteins are associated with HHV-6A virions. The relevance of the association in disease and especially in autoimmunity will be further investigated.

Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) has been linked to the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). HHV-6 antibodies in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 27 patients with clinically definite MS (CDMS) were compared with age- and sex-matched controls, including various other neurological diseases and symptoms (OND). In addition, we studied a series of 19 patients with clinically or laboratory supported possible MS (CPMS). Seroprevalence to HHV-6A was 100% in patients with MS, both in CDMS and CPMS, compared to 69.2% in patients with OND (P = .001 and .007). The mean immunoglobulin G (IgG) titers were significantly higher in patients with CDMS and CPMS than in controls (P = .005 and .00002). The proportion of acute primary infections without CSF involvement was similar in all groups; however, primary infections with intrathecal HHV-6 antibody production were more frequent in MS. In CSF, HHV-6A-specific antibodies were present in three (11.5%) and four (21.1%) patients with CDMS and CPMS, compared to none with OND (P = .06 and .01, respectively). Serological suggestions to HHV-6A infection occurred more often in both CDMS and CPMS than in OND (14.8% versus 21.1% versus 3.8%). We conclude that a subpopulation of MS patients, and even a greater proportion of possible MS subjects, has serological evidence of HHV-6A infection, which might provide new markers for diagnosis and therapy.

A 31-year-old man referred to our hospital for treatment of his chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in the first chronic phase by bone marrow transplantation. We pretreated him with cyclophosphamide and total body irradiation and bone marrow transplantation (BMT) was carried out. On day 31, the engraftment was confirmed and on day 52, acute graft versus host disease (GVHD) was observed. On day 189, he lost consciousness due to cyclosporine A-induced leukoencephalopathy and 375 mg cyclosporine A was changed to 100 mg prednisolone. On day 199, liver dysfunction (AST 410 IU/L, ALT 557 IU/L, gammaGTP 385 IU/L, ALP 363 IU/L, D-Bil 0.3 mg/dl) developed and a liver biopsy was performed. PCR analysis of DNA from the liver biopsy specimen was positive for HHV-6 and immunostaining using anti-HHV-6 and anti-HHV-6b antibodies showed positive staining in the cytosol of hepatocytes. No other viruses were found to induce hepatitis. From these results, he was diagnosed as having HHV-6 hepatitis and it was successfully treated with gancyclovir (GCV) administration.