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Human foamy virus bel1 sequence in patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases

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Abstract

Since the association between human foamy virus (HFV) with rheumatic autoimmune diseases remains controversial, this study was designed to determine the relationship between HFV and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), or progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS). The bel1 and Pol sequences of HFV were measured by reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in plasma and by PCR in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from patients with SLE, RA, and PSS. Antibodies against Bel1 and Pol were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Active HFV infections were detected by a Bel1-responsive indicator cell line. The bel1 sequence was detected in the plasma (SLE 59, RA 32, and PSS 63%) and PBMC (SLE 54, RA 71, and PSS 57%). However, active HFV infection existed only in patients with the bel1 sequence in both plasma and PBMC. In SLE patients, antibodies against Bel1 (7.1%) and Pol (4.5%) were also detected. The results suggest a possible association between HFV infection and these autoimmune rheumatic diseases.

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Abbreviations

HFV:

Human foamy virus

PBMC:

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells

PCR:

Polymerase chain reaction

PSS:

Progressive systemic sclerosis

RT–PCR:

Reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction

RA:

Rheumatoid arthritis

SLE:

Systemic lupus erythematosus

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported in part by grants (NSC89-2314-B-010-045 and NSC91-2314-B-010-025) from the National Science Council, the Yen Tjing Ling Medical Research Foundation (CI-91-2-2), and the VTY Joint Research Program, Tsou's Foundation (VTY 91-P5-41), ROC.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biotechnology in Medicine, School of Medical Technology and Engineering, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Kuang-Hui Sun, Lee-Wen Chen, Hsiao-Yun Tai, Mei-Lin Lin & Wu-Tse Liu

  2. Section of Arthritis, Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Veterans General Hospital-Taipei, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Hsiao-Yi Lin

  3. Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Veterans General Hospital-Taipei, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Chi-Kuang Feng

  4. Division of Internal Medicine, Taipei Municipal Yang Ming Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Jung-Sung Sung

  5. Department of Medical Research, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Hsin-Fu Liu

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  1. Kuang-Hui Sun
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Correspondence to Kuang-Hui Sun or Wu-Tse Liu.

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Sun, KH., Lin, HY., Chen, LW. et al. Human foamy virus bel1 sequence in patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Clin Rheumatol 25, 694–699 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-005-0146-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-005-0146-5

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