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Published on: December 23, 2016
Serum antibodies from epileptic patients react, at high prevalence, with simian virus 40 mimotopes
R Faggioli1, E Mazzoni, C Borgna-Pignatti
1Department of Medical Sciences, Section of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy; Pediatric Unit, University Hospital of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
Background And Purpose:
It has been demonstrated that inflammation may contribute to epileptogenesis and cause neuronal injury in epilepsy. In this study, the prevalence of antibodies to simian virus 40 (SV40), a kidney and neurotropic polyomavirus, was investigated in serum samples from 88 epileptic children/adolescents/young adults.
Methods:
Serum antibodies reacting to specific SV40 peptides were analysed by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Synthetic peptides corresponding to the epitopes of viral capsid proteins 1-3 were used as SV40 antigens.
Results:
A significantly higher prevalence of antibodies against SV40 was detected in sera from epileptic patients compared to controls (41% vs. 19%). Specifically, the highest significant difference was revealed in the cohort of patients from 1.1 to 10 years old (54% vs. 21%), with a peak in the sub-cohort of 3.1-6 years old (65% vs. 18%).
Conclusion:
Our immunological data suggest a strong association between epilepsy and the SV40 infection.
