Journal of General Virology, Vol 79, 789-799, Copyright © 1998 by Society for General Microbiology

ARTICLES

Human polyomavirus JC control region variants in persistently infected CNS and kidney tissue

C Elsner and K Dorries
Institut fur Virologie und Immunbiologie der Universitat Wurzburg, Germany.

The question of a possible role for JC virus (JCV) genomic rearrangements in the pathogenesis of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) was addressed by analysis of the genomic complexity and the transcriptional control region (TCR) of the JCV DNA population in persistently infected CNS and kidney tissue. After cloning of full-length viral DNA, no extensive changes were detected in the coding regions of the JCV genome by restriction analysis suggesting an intact JCV DNA population. For further analysis of the distribution of JCV subtypes, the non-coding region was amplified by PCR. Molecular analysis revealed homogeneous JCV TCR populations in almost 50% of the individuals. Heterogeneity was found in two CNS samples with three and five different JCV subtypes, respectively, and in four kidney specimens with two TCR subtypes. Altogether, seven TCR subtypes were identified. One in each group represented single promoter element TCRs without duplication of sequences. The TCR of the major variant JCV-W1 was comparable in sequence and structure to that of the PML prototype JCV Mad-1 DNA. The identification of dominant PML-derived JCV TCR subtypes in most persistently infected individuals suggests that rearrangements of the JCV TCR can be associated with the persistent state of infection. However, it appears unlikely that PML-associated JCV subtypes are generated anew in each individual host in the course of persistence. The findings rather suggest that a limited number of stable JCV subtypes circulate in different geographical regions of the world.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. Zhang and G. Magnusson Cellular Mobile Genetic Elements in the Regulatory Region of the Pneumotropic Mouse Polyomavirus Genome: Structure and Function in Viral Gene Expression and DNA Replication J. Virol., March 15, 2003; 77(6): 3477 - 3486. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Del Valle, S. Delbue, J. Gordon, S. Enam, S. Croul, P. Ferrante, and K. Khalili Expression of JC virus T-antigen in a patient with MS and glioblastoma multiforme Neurology, March 26, 2002; 58(6): 895 - 900. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. T. Agostini, A. Deckhut, D. V. Jobes, R. Girones, G. Schlunck, M. G. Prost, C. Frias, E. Pérez-Trallero, C. F. Ryschkewitsch, and G. L. Stoner Genotypes of JC virus in East, Central and Southwest Europe J. Gen. Virol., May 1, 2001; 82(5): 1221 - 1331. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M. Sala, J.-P. Vartanian, P. Kousignian, J.-F. Delfraissy, Y. Taoufik, S. Wain-Hobson, and J. Gasnault Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected patients: absence of correlation between JC virus neurovirulence and polymorphisms in the transcriptional control region and the major capsid protein loci J. Gen. Virol., April 1, 2001; 82(4): 899 - 907. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				L. Ricciardiello, D. K. Chang, L. Laghi, A. Goel, C. L. Chang, and C. R. Boland Mad-1 Is the Exclusive JC Virus Strain Present in the Human Colon, and Its Transcriptional Control Region Has a Deleted 98-Base-Pair Sequence in Colon Cancer Tissues J. Virol., February 15, 2001; 75(4): 1996 - 2001. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M. TOGNON, F. MARTINI, L. IACCHERI, R. CULTRERA, and C. CONTINI Investigation of the simian polyomavirus SV40 as a potential causative agent of human neurological disorders in AIDS patients J. Med. Microbiol., February 1, 2001; 50(2): 165 - 172. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S Ciappi, A Azzi, R De Santis, F Leoncini, G Sterrantino, F Mazzotta, and L Mecocci Archetypal and rearranged sequences of human polyomavirus JC transcription control region in peripheral blood leukocytes and in cerebrospinal fluid J. Gen. Virol., April 1, 1999; 80(4): 1017 - 1023. [Abstract]