Study Finds XMRV Retrovirus Can Infect Brain Cells
By Kent Heckenlively, Esq.
As a good portion of the medical and media world is furiously attempting to bury the XMRV story a few intrepid researchers appear not to have gotten the memo.
Scientists from the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health, and the Department of Health and Human Services are busily trying to figure out how this retrovirus may be involved in conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome/ME. (I have written before of how my daughter with autism, my wife, and my mother-in-law have all tested positive for this retrovirus.) You can read my previous article HERE.
In an article entitled "Susceptibility of Human Primary Neuronal Cells to Xenotropic Murine Leukemia Virus-related (XMRV) Virus Infection," and published in the Journal of Virology, September 20, 2011 HERE the authors tried to answer the question of whether XMRV could be responsible for inflammation in the brain.
From the findings section the authors wrote, "XMRV has been associated with prostate cancer and CFS. Although CFS patients show many symptoms for inflammation in brain, there is no report about the presence of XMRV in the brain of CFS patients. In an effort to determine the susceptibility of neuronal cells to XMRV in-vitro, we used human primary Progenitors, Progenitor Derived Neurons (PDN), and Progenitor Derived Astrocytes (PDA)."
Translation - CFS patients show evidence of brain inflammation (just like kids with autism), but nobody's looked to see if it might be due to XMRV. We wondered if brain cells were susceptible to infection by XMRV.
In order to answer the question of how XMRV could cross the blood-brain barrier the authors noted, "T-cell traffic into the central nervous system is thought to occur when activated T-cells cross the blood-brain barrier. The T-cells presumably act as a "Trojan horse" to store and transport infectious materials across the blood-brain barrier. This "Trojan horse" hypothesis has been well established in the pathogenesis of many viruses that infect the central nervous system. Based on the assumption that XMRV infected lymphocytes could infiltrate and infect the neuronal cells, we conducted an in-vitro coinfection/co-culture study using XMRV-infected Jurkat cells with neuronal cells."
Translation - Like other viruses that invade the central nervous system, XMRV might hop a ride in a T-cell, which does cross the blood-brain barrier. (Author's note - And we also know that toxins like pesticides and heavy metals can affect the permeability of the blood-brain barrier.)
The authors stated that as a result of their experiments, "We observed that even the small amount of XMRV in the XMRV-infected Jurkats could release virus and infect the neuronal cells (results not shown). Interestingly, in the cultures/co-infection study, we co-culture the XMRV-infected Jurkats with neuronal cells only for four hours. The released virus during this time was able to infect the bystander neuronal cells. These observations support the possibility that the infiltrated XMRV-infected T-cells could infect neuronal cells."
Translation - HOLY S---! Even with only a small amount of XMRV virus in the T-cells, it took them only four hours to infect the bystander neuronal cells.
While this experiment was performed in a lab, the authors also referenced a previous study in which rhesus macaques were deliberately infected with the XMRV retrovirus. "In a recent animal study, XMRV was administered to rhesus macaques through intravenous innoculation. Interestingly, 291 days post infection, infected cells were detectable by fluoresence in situ hybridization (FISH) in brain, showing the possibility of XMRV infection in brain. This study further substantiates our speculation that XMRV could infect brain cells. Further in-vitro and in-vivo studies are warranted to identify and characterize the XMRV, and its role, if any, in brain cells."
Translation - Nearly ten months after rhesus macaques were infected with XMRV evidence was found of the virus in their brains. Once again, HOLY S---!
While I was writing this article I did a quick Google search for news articles on the partial Science retraction (Author's note - UCSF basically messed up the genetic sequence of the VP62 clone, which provides a possible explanation for why those groups who used it were unable to find the retrovirus. Other groups, like the Whittemore-Peterson Institute, Cleveland Clinic, and National Cancer Institute, as well as the Lo-Alter study which used probes to identify a wider family of human gamma-retroviruses than just VP62, were able to find it.) versus this study by the FDA, NIH and Health and Human Services.
There were 285 news articles identified on Google for the partial Science retraction. For this research showing that XMRV can infect brain cells there were 0 news articles.
Does it strike anybody else that the coverage of XMRV isn't quite "fair and balanced?"
Kent Heckenlively is a Contributing Editor to Age of Autism
Hi there, Kent and others, I've written 2 very detailed articles in the last year on how retroviruses are used by the body as cell fusion molecules during development and also appear when the immune system gets activated if anyone wants to get ideas. In the brains of MS patients you will find HERV-W activity going on but HERV-W looks like a retrovirus that binds nerve channels together during development and children actually have the highest levels of HERV-W in their brains during development. I doubt XMRV is any causative retrovirus, it's more likely any an effect of overstimulation of astrocytes to other unwanted toxins in the brain, the astrocytes are the main source of HERV-W.
Pregnancy Cancer Connection (UK Journal)
http://www.positivehealth.com/article/cancer/the-pregnancy-cancer-connection
Do White Blood Cells use Retroviruses for Cell fusions
http://www.laleva.org/eng/2013/08/do_white_blood_cells_use_retroviruses_for_cell_fusions.html
here's a couple of studies which give the concept of what is happening, my view is that any cell damage kicks them into action as the immune system (astrocytes in the brain) try to regenerate and binds new nerve cells together.
They will also appear if cells become hypomethylated so that's a possible cause as well.
"Multiple sclerosis (MS) is considered to be an autoimmune disease with an unknown cause and with immune system dysregulation. Among environmental factors, viruses are most often connected with the etiology of MS. Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) constitute 5 to 8% of human genomic DNA and have been detected as transcripts and proteins in the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral blood, frequently in the context of neuroinflammation."
Expression of HERV-Fc1, a Human Endogenous Retrovirus, Is Increased in Patients with Active Multiple Sclerosis
http://jvi.asm.org/content/86/7/3713.full
also everyone has a viral load, anyone who is sick with cancers, leukemia or any autoimmune disease or pregnant will have a high viral load, the viral load tests used on HIV patients don't detect HIV and the 'HIV' patients are labelled as such by the HIV antibody test which is not specific for retroviral antigens so the MS symptoms we often see in so called AIDS patients is just MS with a non-specific antibody test.
"Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by the progressive loss of motor neurons, of unknown etiology. Previous studies showed reverse transcriptase in serum of ALS patients at levels comparable to HIV-infected patients; however, the source and significance of the retroviral elements is uncertain."
Identification of Active Loci of a Human Endogenous Retrovirus in Neurons of Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3052883/
Posted by: Cal Crilly | October 06, 2013 at 03:37 PM
With one blood test from a lab in Nevada my son received several years ago that the test came back positive for XMRV virus The symptoms that he has been showing over the years now show a steady decline in his strength - he has no physical strength left. He cannot function outside the home. He is too weak to leave our home. Not even to a doctor's appointment. Prior NO doctor locally was familiar with XMRV - no more tests were done locally to ascertain that it truly IS the XMRV virus. What can be done in a case like this? Can anyone shed light on this horrible situation? Even the local immunology clinic at the local medical college did not attempt a test on strictly XMRV (to possibly rule it out). Further contacts with them were futile as no one replied.
Posted by: Adelheid Waters | March 31, 2013 at 05:12 PM
VACCINES CAUSE AUTISM
The HHV6 virus is not a harmless virus as 1 variant is the cause of leukemia in children and Singh published a paper years ago that indicated that that the an increase in HHV6 and measles virus was found in about 70% of autistic children.
The rise in HHV6 in the presence of measles is neither harmless or coincidental. HHV6 is able to integrate itself into the telomeres of your DNA.
The CDC and FDA whores will not investigate their pimps the Pharmaceutical industry. The AAP pediatricians are the mules design to carry out the spread of these diseases in the name of healthcare. When I meet these idiots I calmly explain to them that they will be going to hell for what they are doing to these children
That the CDC and others pooh pooh the virus should sound an alarm that it is probably very serious and they simply do not want to acknowledge it just as they did not want to acknowledge the rise of autism. No one is studying these viruses in any depth and they just keep making more and more vaccines to make more and more money. A true drug dealer mentality.
I had a patient Monday that had no history of dementia and was admitted to the hospital for an unrelated reason and came out unable to speak clearly and went from her home to a home for demented elderly people. Anybody that thinks that this is normal is the demented person clearly as this is not normal. Further as the 6th leading cause of death in America we simply cannot afford to ignore this disease we call dementia and must evaluate it critically and scientifically looking for viral culprits most likely a XMRV and or a herpes virus species.
As far as being cavalier about having infections with the herpes family I would not be. That the HHV6 virus is ubiquitous and requiring of reactivation is simply another false flag. We just do not know the full extent of the damage by the species as a whole and rather than take responsibility for it they just choose to blow it off and later they can say "well nobody knew so it is no one's fault". HHV6 is everywhere NOW because of so many vaccines where it could very well be a contaminate and or a opportunistic virus that is allowed to infect cells after the immune system is disabled by old age or a immature age or these vaccines and especially the measles virus vaccine that is lymphotropic and neurotropic and does alter the immune system.
No it would serve everyone here to simply not vaccinate themselves or their children ever again truly.
VACCINES CAUSE AUTISM
Posted by: WILLIE | October 05, 2011 at 01:58 AM
Thank you. I knew about this paper but had not read it. It really is a genie that will not be forced back into its bottle.
About HHV-6 - we get Variant A, along with AIDS patients and patients with MS (it is found in the lessons). Variant B is ubiquitous, the cause of roseola, but it can be a problem if it gets reactivated in immune-suppressed patients. The CDC continues to speak only of "HHV-6" as if it were only one entity. They say "it's ubiquitous" and shrug when you bring it up. Evidence of what is being called "chromosomally integrated HHV-6" or ciHHV-6, suggests it can be inherited, but not like HIV - more like blue eyes.
Now, HIV + HHV-8 = Kaposi's sarcoma, the skin cancer that infected so many AIDS patients in the 1980s.
Isn't it possible that gamma retroviruses get really viscious when mixed with HHV-6A, or other beta herpesviruses? The CDC and NIH are so intent on looking at one thing at a time (a misreading of Occam's Razor) that they can't - or won't see this.
I have been very frustrated that in none of the publicity around the retrovirus has anyone mentioned what ELSE we have (those of us with M.E. or a diagnosis of CFS (Fukuda 1994). Not only does that fail to paint an accurate picture of our disease, it also cuts off possible discussion of what we have in common with AIDS patients.
So when I hear, say, HHv-6A or HGRVs (human gamma retroviruses), my answer is, why not all of the above?
Mary Schweitzer
PS - my heart goes out to all parents of children with autism - I am glad they know much more about how to give these children a life than in the Recent Medical Dark Ages when the disease was known as "Cold Mother Syndrome.". Why is psychiatry the default option? What is wrong with "We just don't know"?
I have HHV-6A and CMV in my spinal fluid. Hmmm. And I was also positive by serum and antibody to XMRV in the "Science" test.
Posted by: Mary Schweitzer | October 04, 2011 at 06:03 PM
All these non-genetic things affecting the brain! Why is everyone delaying? Maybe the implications are even bigger than the informed public knows about.
Here another TWIN study in this week's news - this time about Schizophrenia and Bi-Polar showing it's epigenetic nature, i.e. something in the environment (something we can control?) changing markers on/off. Same old words: methylation, stressful events (do vaccines stress a body?), diet (anyone reminded of the effect of gluten free diets on schizophrenia patients?).
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21128323.400-epigenetic-clue-to-schizophrenia-and-bipolar-disorder.html
The ramifications of the past 100 years worth of synthetic medicine, how it is applied, and uncountable numbers of man-made chemicals in our primary environment (our bodies) is now becoming apparent.
Posted by: Jenny | October 04, 2011 at 12:55 PM
What we don't know about viruses and synergistic affects with toxins .......
So foolish to pretend 'men' have the answers, all the while technology is giving us the power to see just how bad vaccines really are.
I dream of the day when we look at ALL "mental disorders" as something assaulting the brain. Not a "chemical imbalance" or "bad parenting" but an all-out assault!
Posted by: Cynthia Cournoyer | October 04, 2011 at 12:59 AM
HHV-6 is associated with T-Cell Gene Re-arrangement; which is on par with mutation and only critical just under Zoonosis (the beginning of the Leap from animal to human). Papers are out on this work, most notably, the work of Dr. Dan Peterson. If you want "The Smoking Gun" with the Brain Diseases, I consider (my opinion 0nly) HHV-6 to be the heaviest hitter with the most potential for brain impact. Especially with the chromosomally integrated trick this virus takes on in certain patients brains. There are an incredible amount of evidenced based, proven studies proving HHV-6 is a nuerological time bomb in certain subsets. Politically, it remains in the background. But not for Long.
Thank You Kent For your Articles.
Best,
Julia Hugo Rachel
Posted by: Julia Hugo Rachel | October 03, 2011 at 11:00 PM
There appear to be chemical and biological "Trojan horses"
now in use.I give two examples.Polysorbate 80 a detergent
emulsifier (enhanced by boric acid in Gardasil)can cause lesions on the blood brain barrier and allow aluminum,viral particles etc.to enter the brain/central nervous system.
The biological Trojan horse could be l-histidine similar to
our l-histidine (to trick the brain)but not identical to our own (foreign,pharma made)as the brain would readily accept it (open up the BBB)to pass it through.They use trojan horses now to deliver brain cancer treatment through
the BBB with the help of polysorbates.Remember Gardasil???
Posted by: oneVoice | October 03, 2011 at 10:42 PM
Don't forget the polysorbate-80 (Tween 80) re: the blood brain barrier. Researchers are using it to deliberately pull other drugs through the BBB.
Which of the vaccines that contain polysorbate 80 are ALSO manufactured using (or contaminated with) mouse bits?
Posted by: Garbo | October 03, 2011 at 10:34 PM
And why is the HHS, FDA and The NIH stalling on this?
What could possibly be the reason for this?
Why?
Is it because they really do not think there is such a virus because their techniques are primtive compared to Cleveland clinic and Whittmore Petterson medical establishments?
Is it something else?
Posted by: Benedetta | October 03, 2011 at 08:59 PM
You are right Kent: there is nothing on the internet that even suggest that the XMRV virus is a dead issue.
It it over with, proven to be nothing, the blood supply is not in danger, they have with drawn the order and I guess autism kids and those wih CFS can just give blood till they drop.
I watched my mother in law die of dementia and a stiff heart. Do I have to watch my daughter and husband die the same way?
Posted by: Benedetta | October 03, 2011 at 08:56 PM
Kent, thanks for reporting on this. The implications seem pretty significant. For one, one of the few AIDS symptoms HIV causes directly (though there may be coinfection involvement) is dementia, so the idea of fellow retroviruses infecting brain cells implies a reason for the dementia-like symptoms some of us experience (and begs the question of whether these could be reversible -- at least in part -- with antiretroviral strategies for XMRV/HGRV). Second, HIV impairs neurogenesis, so it also keeps the brain from repairing itself. Thus theories on brain plasticity as a healing mechanism for XMRV/HGRV patients may be completely false (plasticity theories really depend on the possibility of neurogenesis/rewiring) until one eradicates the XMRV/HGRV. Of course, this last point also makes something like cognitive behavioral therapy/CBT sound particularly ridiculous, since one can't really think ones way into effective neurogenesis or out of dementia.
Posted by: Peggy | October 03, 2011 at 05:03 PM
This is very interesting. Thanks, Kent
Posted by: Justin Reilly, esq. | October 03, 2011 at 04:59 PM
Awesome, just awesome. I am worried the "powers that be" want this problem to go away, just like HIV AIDS tried to...and good luck with that....ain't going to happen. Power to the people!
Posted by: kathy blanco | October 03, 2011 at 01:38 PM
Thank you Kent, for reminding us that even though the current political situation around XMRV/HGRVs is a deep mess (I just read the latest shocking news today about the WPI), nobody is questioning the fact that XMRV is a real infectious retrovirus that was found to contaminate various human cell lines.
What is in question currently is whether or not XMRV/HGRVs are associated with human disease or even found in human patients.
In view of research like the one you just wrote about today, I personally think that it would be foolish to exclude any involvement of XMRV/HGRVs in disease.
Especially when so many articles have shown how ubiquitous these MLVs are in biological products, contaminating everything and plaguing most research labs. We now have one of them that can infect neuronal cells and we shouldn't be worried?
Posted by: Karin | October 03, 2011 at 09:45 AM
My friend was at a major store last week that would not give their Rewards coupon if you used a newspaper coupon for the item. They said it was their policy!!! i told her to check "Get Official Samples" to find samples
Posted by: dawnmorgan | October 03, 2011 at 06:54 AM