Re: Here's and intersting article ...

[Guest guest]

Hi Lori;

Sorry for my typo in the title .. I meant to say " Here's AN

interesting article ... " I'll try my best to explain why I found it

interesting.

I need to start by saying that some other " autoimmune diseases "

appear to be triggered by infectious agents, such as viruses. The

best known example of this is multiple sclerosis. When a patient has

a certain genetic background (particularly a certain variant of the

human leukocyte antigen (HLA) gene, HLA-DRB1) and is then infected

with the virus causing infectious mononucleosis (the Epstein-Barr

virus), they are at a greatly increased risk of developing multiple

sclerosis in comparison to non-infected persons with the same HLA-

DRB1 variant, or in comparison to infected persons without the

particular HLA-DRB1 variant.

In other words, there is a strong genotype x environment interaction

in triggering multiple sclerosis. In this case the genotype is a

particular variant of HLA-DRB1, and the environment is the virus.

We know that PSC risk is also associated with a particular variant of

HLA-DRB1. But we do not know the environmental factor that triggers

it. Could it be a virus, as in the case of multiple sclerosis?

I was interested in the article that I posted yesterday because it

dealt with a virus infection in an animal model (mice with a

particular genetic defect), that caused a PSC-like disease. The virus

they were studying was the " Murid herpesvirus-4. " As Barb has already

mentioned the herpes viruses are related to Epstein-Barr virus.

It seems to me (and I'm pretty sure that Barb feels the same way;

correct me if I am wrong Barb!) that we shouldn't rule out an

infectious agent, such as a virus, as a potential trigger for PSC ...

but only in individuals with a particular genetic background (such as

a certain variant of HLA-DRB1).

You are correct that in the mouse model the herpes virus infection

(in the genetically susceptible mice) caused bile duct inflammation

resembling PSC in humans. But whether your Dad's herpes virus

infection could be the cause of his PSC ... I'm sorry I cannot answer

this question with any certainty because there are no equivalent

human studies to go on.

Best regards,

Dave

(father of (23); PSC 07/03; UC 08/03)

>

> Hi ,

> This article is intersting.  I am sorry to always ask this but

could you put this in lamens terms for me.  Sounds like the herpes

virus effects the bile ducts thru inflamation contributing to PSC?? 

My dad with PSC has always had herpes virus 1 (coldsores/fever

blisters on the mouth). Thanks in advance.

>  

> Lori A.