Detection of varicella zoster virus antigen and DNA in two cases of cerebral amyloid angiopathy

JOURNAL OF THE NEUROLOGICAL SCIENCES

卷:422

Article

Mescher, Teresa¹  Boyer, Philip J.²  Bubak, Andrew N.¹  Hassell, James E., Jr.¹  Nagel, Maria A.^1,3 

[1] Univ Colorado, Sch Med, Dept Neurol, 12700 E 19th Ave,Mail Stop B182, Aurora, CO 80045 USA

[2] East Carolina Univ, Brody Sch Med, Dept Pathol, Greenville, NC 27934 USA

[3] Univ Colorado, Sch Med, Dept Ophthalmol, Aurora, CO 80045 USA

关键词: Varicella zoster virus;    Cerebral amyloid angiopathy;    Amyloid;    Amyloid-beta;    Amylin;    Vasculopathy;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.jns.2021.117315

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

Objective: Varicella zoster virus (VZV) vasculopathy and cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) have similar clinical presentations: both affect cerebrovasculature in the elderly, produce hemorrhage, and can have a protracted course of cognitive decline and other neurological deficits. The cause of CAA is unknown, but amyloid-beta (A beta) is found within arterial walls. Recent studies show that VZV induces A beta and amylin expression and an amyloid-promoting environment. Thus, we determined if VZV was present in CAA-affected arteries. Methods: Two subjects with pathologically-verified CAA were identified postmortem and frontal lobes analyzed by immunohistochemistry for arteries containing VZV, A beta, and amylin and H&E for pathological changes. VZV antigen detection was confirmed by PCR for VZV DNA in the same region. Results: In both CAA cases, sections with cerebral arteries containing VZV antigen with corresponding VZV DNA were identified; VZV antigen co-localized with A beta in media of arteries with histological changes characteristic of CAA. Amylin was also seen in the intima of a VZV-positive artery in the diabetic subject. Not all A beta-containing arteries had VZV, but all VZV-positive arteries contained A beta. Conclusions: VZV antigen co-localized with A beta in some affected arteries from two CAA cases, suggesting a possible association between VZV infection and CAA.

【 授权许可】

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