KHODAI BOORAN N, BAKAYEV V. DETECTION AND RESTRICTION ANALYSIS OF C YTOMEGALOVIRUS DNA PERSISTING IN HUMAN ATHEROSCLEROTIC PLAQUES USING POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION. Med J Islam Repub Iran 2001; 15 (3) :155-159
URL:
http://mjiri.iums.ac.ir/article-1-798-en.html
From Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, I. R. Iran
Abstract: (4938 Views)
The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as applied to detection of a foreign
DNA in clinical specimens could provide a sensitive instrument for rapid detection
of viral DNA persisting in tissues of patients suspected of latent infection.
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) DNA was found in arterial plaques of patients
with atherosclerotic lesions using a PCR assay with nested primer oligonucleotides
derived from the major immediate early (MIE) exon 4 region of the genome.
In order to approach a possible part of HCMV DNA in the mechanism of
atherogenesis, the nature of found MIE exon 4 sequence was intimated using
restriction endonuclease mapping of the amplified DNA. Comparison of the restriction
fragments length polymorphism (RFLP) produced by endonuclease treatment
of viral DNA amplified from urine, blood, culture and arterial plaques displayed
a distinct difference in the DNA alignment for arterial specimens compared
to that of other sources. This approved the specific origin of the MIE DNA
found in plaques and suggested involvement in endothelial cell metabolism
changes. It could thus be established that PCR has exhibited the promise for investigation
of the role of latent viral infection in the process of atherosclerosis.