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We tested 11 patients with multiple sclerosis for the presence of human T- cell leukemia virus type I(HTLV-I)-or type II(HTLV-II)-related sequences. DNA from blood mononuclear cells was analyzed by the polymerase chain reaction utilizing three different oligonucleotide primer pairs.Two of these primer pairs detect sequences shared between HTLV-I and HTLV-II in either p24,gag protein,or in p21,and transmembrane protein.The third primer pair was synthesized based on regions in the pol gene where amino acid sequences are conserved between HTLV-I,HTLV-II,and the related bovine leukemia virus.The multiple sclerosis samples were consistently negative while appropriate control samples were positive.We conclude that viruses related to HTLV-I,HTLV-II,or bovine leukemia virus are not present in the blood of patients with multiple sclerosis and,therefore,that HTLV-bovine leukemia virus-related viruses are not likely to be involved in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. |
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