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Updated: May 11, 2026
08:17
Direct Intrathecal Injection of Recombinant Adeno-associated Viruses in Adult Mice
Published on: February 15, 2019
Retroviruses and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
1Section of Infections of the Nervous System, National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States.
Antiviral Research
|May 28, 2013
Summary
Human endogenous retroviral sequences (HERVs) show increased expression in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients, suggesting a role in the disease
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Virology
- Genetics
Background:
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder with unknown causes.
- Potential links to retroviral infections and human endogenous retroviral (HERV) sequences have been investigated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the literature for evidence of exogenous retroviral infection or HERV expression in ALS pathogenesis.
- To evaluate the association between HERVs and ALS.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on retroviral infections (HIV-1, HTLV-1) and HERV expression in ALS patients.
- Analysis of serum samples and postmortem brain tissue from ALS patients and controls.
Main Results:
- A small subset of HIV-1 and HTLV-1 infected individuals develop ALS-like syndromes, but most ALS patients lack these infections.
- Significantly increased expression of HERV-K was observed in ALS patients compared to controls.
Conclusions:
- While exogenous retroviruses have a limited association with ALS, HERV-K expression is strongly linked to the disease.
- Endogenous retroviral elements are implicated in ALS pathophysiology, but are not the primary cause.
Keywords:
Amyotropic lateral sclerosisHuman endogenous retrovirusHuman immunodeficiency virusReverse transcriptaseTransposonsMore Related Videos
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