HUMAN ENDOGENOUS FOAMY RETROVIRUS AND USES THEREOF

摘要

The invention relates to the discovery of an active human endogenous retrovirus (HERV), HERV-BZU, which appears to be the first instance of a tru e human foamy virus. HERV-BZU is infective, causes vacuolation in cultured human lymphocytes (under defined conditions), forms immature particles released to these vacuoles, and is closely related to HERV-K102/ K103 and other HERV-K Type I retroviruses. HERV-BZU seems to be transactivated by infection with bloodbor ne viruses. This suggests it may play a role in limiting viral invasion and replication and thus, may be a normal early host defense response to viremia. Plasma samples from healthy normal individuals do not contain HERV-BZU whereas individuals with virus- associated chronic diseases may have viral particles in their blood.