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- Cytomegalovirus -


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References:

Possible Origin of Chronic Lymphatic Leukemia Identified
ScienceDaily (Apr. 11, 2012)
...they were able to identify the protein pUL32 of the human cytomegalovirus...The cytomegalovirus, a member of the herpes family of viruses...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120411084040.htm

Treatment of Common Virus Can Reduce Tumour Growth, Study Suggests
ScienceDaily (Sep. 27, 2011)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110927072612.htm

Detection of human cytomegalovirus in medulloblastomas reveals a potential therapeutic target.
Baryawno N, Rahbar A, Wolmer-Solberg N, Taher C, Odeberg J, Darabi A, Khan Z, Sveinbjörnsson B, FuskevÅg OM, Segerström L, Nordenskjöld M, Siesjö P, Kogner P, Johnsen JI, Söderberg-Nauclér C.
J Clin Invest. 2011 Oct;121(10):4043-55. doi: 10.1172/JCI57147. Epub 2011 Sep 26.
Source: Karolinska Institutet, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Childhood Cancer Research Unit, Stockholm, Sweden.
Abstract
Medulloblastomas are the most common malignant brain tumors in children. They express high levels of COX-2 and produce PGE2, which stimulates tumor cell proliferation. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is prevalent in the human population and encodes proteins that provide immune evasion strategies and promote oncogenic transformation and oncomodulation. In particular, HCMV induces COX-2 expression; STAT3 phosphorylation; production of PGE2, vascular endothelial growth factor, and IL-6; and tumor formation in vivo. Here, we show that a large proportion of primary medulloblastomas and medulloblastoma cell lines are infected with HCMV and that COX-2 expression, along with PGE2 levels, in tumors is directly modulated by the virus. Our analysis indicated that both HCMV immediate-early proteins and late proteins are expressed in the majority of primary medulloblastomas. Remarkably, all of the human medulloblastoma cell lines that we analyzed contained HCMV DNA and RNA and expressed HCMV proteins at various levels in vitro. When engrafted into immunocompromised mice, human medulloblastoma cells induced expression of HCMV proteins. HCMV and COX-2 expression correlated in primary tumors, cell lines, and medulloblastoma xenografts. The antiviral drug valganciclovir and the specific COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib prevented HCMV replication in vitro and inhibited PGE2 production and reduced medulloblastoma tumor cell growth both in vitro and in vivo. Ganciclovir did not affect the growth of HCMV-negative tumor cell lines. These findings imply an important role for HCMV in medulloblastoma and suggest HCMV as a novel therapeutic target for this tumor.
Comment in: Viruses and human brain tumors: cytomegalovirus enters the fray. [J Clin Invest. 2011]
PMID: 21946257 [PubMed] PMCID: PMC3195466
Full Text: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3195466/?tool=pubmed
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21946257

Shark Compound Proves Potential as Drug to Treat Human Viruses, Says Researcher
ScienceDaily (Sep. 20, 2011)
...In animal studies, his collaborators discovered that squalamine controlled infections of yellow fever, Eastern equine encephalitis virus, and murine cytomegalovirus, and in some cases cured the animals...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110919151306.htm

Squalamine as a broad-spectrum systemic antiviral agent with therapeutic potential.
Zasloff M, Adams AP, Beckerman B, Campbell A, Han Z, Luijten E, Meza I, Julander J, Mishra A, Qu W, Taylor JM, Weaver SC, Wong GC.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011 Sep 20;108(38):15978-83. Epub 2011 Sep 19.
Source: Transplant Institute, Department of Surgery, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007, USA.
Erratum in Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011 Nov 1;108(44):18186.
Abstract
Antiviral compounds that increase the resistance of host tissues represent an attractive class of therapeutic. Here, we show that squalamine, a compound previously isolated from the tissues of the dogfish shark (Squalus acanthias) and the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), exhibits broad-spectrum antiviral activity against human pathogens, which were studied in vitro as well as in vivo. Both RNA- and DNA-enveloped viruses are shown to be susceptible. The proposed mechanism involves the capacity of squalamine, a cationic amphipathic sterol, to neutralize the negative electrostatic surface charge of intracellular membranes in a way that renders the cell less effective in supporting viral replication. Because squalamine can be readily synthesized and has a known safety profile in man, we believe its potential as a broad-spectrum human antiviral agent should be explored.
Comment in: Shark compound bites back against viruses. [Future Med Chem. 2011]
PMID: 21930925 [PubMed] PMCID: PMC3179074
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21930925
Full Text: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3179074/?tool=pubmed

High Blood Pressure Could Be Caused By A Common Virus, Study Suggests
ScienceDaily (May 16, 2009) — A new study suggests for the first time that cytomegalovirus (CMV), a common viral infection affecting between 60 and 99 percent of adults worldwide, is a cause of high blood pressure, a leading risk factor for heart disease, stroke and kidney disease...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090514221915.htm
http://www.bidmc.org/News/InResearch/2009/May/CMVandBloodPressure.aspx


Human cytomegalovirus infection is a novel etiology for essential hypertension.
Zhang M, Yang Y, Yang X, Cai J.
Med Hypotheses. 2011 May;76(5):682-4. Epub 2011 Feb 12.
Source: Department of Cardiology, Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100010, China.
Abstract
...Based on current studies, we present a hypothesis that human cytomegalovirus is an opportunistic pathogen that causes essential hypertension by disrupting nitric oxide synthesis and immune defense and by activating inflammation and the renin-angiotensin system.
PMID: 21316863 [PubMed]
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21316863

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Updated: July 25, 2012
Inception: July 25, 2012