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Detection of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1) Antisense Protein (ASP) RNA Transcripts in Patients by Strand-Specific RT-PCR
Published on: November 27, 2019
A controlled study of reverse transcriptase in serum and CSF of HIV-negative patients with ALS
D J L MacGowan1, S N Scelsa, T E Imperato
1ALS Center, Beth Israel Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, USA. dmacgow@bethisraelny.org
Abstract:
Reverse transcriptase has been detected in the serum of HIV-negative patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). An ALS-like disorder in HIV-positive patients can remit with antiretroviral therapy. Using the product enhanced assay technique, we measured reverse transcriptase activity in the serum and CSF of 23 HIV-negative patients with ALS and 21 neurologic disease controls. Results for CSF were not significant, whereas reverse transcriptase was detected in 56% of ALS sera vs 19% of controls.
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