Detection by radioligand assay of antibodies against Borna disease virus in patients with various psychiatric disorders

Ribavirin Treatment for Severe Schizophrenia with Anti-Borna Disease Virus 1 Antibodies 30 Years after Onset

Objective

Borna disease virus 1 (BoDV-1) was proven to cause fatal encephalitis in humans in 2018. However, the effects of persistent infections remain unclear. Here, we present the case of a 50-year-old woman with a 30-year history of severe schizophrenia, who was exposed to fleas from stray cats prior to disease onset, suggesting the possibility of zoonosis including BoDV-1 infection. The patient had experienced significant social impairment, thought deterioration, delusions, and hallucinations for more than 20 years.

Method

A radioligand assay was used to test the patient for IgG and IgM antibodies against BoDV-1 nucleoprotein (N) and phosphoprotein (P). Based on the protocol for hepatitis C, we treated the patient with 400 mg/day ribavirin, which was later increased to 600 mg/day.

Results

The serological examination revealed anti-BoDV-1 N IgG. Although only subtle changes were observed over the 24 weeks of treatment, the family noticed that the patient's Cotard delusions had disappeared 7 months after completing the treatment, accompanied by some improvements in the relationship with the family.

Conclusion

Though definite proof was not obtained, this presumed suppression of BoDV-1 by ribavirin leading to improvements in Cotard syndrome-like symptoms suggests that intractable schizophrenia might be one of the BoDV-1 infection phenotypes. Further studies are needed to clarify the effect of persistent BoDV-1 infections in humans.

Radioligand Assay-Based Detection of Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in Hospital Workers Treating Patients with Severe COVID-19 in Japan

This study aimed to clarify whether infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is prevalent among the staff of a hospital providing treatment to patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) using radioligand assay (RLA). One thousand samples from the staff of a general hospital providing treatment to patients with severe COVID-19 were assayed for SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein (N) IgG using RLA. Nine patients with COVID-19 who had been treated in inpatient settings and had already recovered were used as control subjects, and 186 blood donor samples obtained more than 10 years ago were used as negative controls. Four of the 1000 samples showed apparently positive results, and approximately 10 or more samples showed slightly high counts. Interestingly, a few among the blood donor samples also showed slightly high values. To validate the results, antibody examinations using ELISA and neutralizing antibody tests were performed on 21 samples, and chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA) was performed on 201 samples, both resulting in a very high correlation. One blood donor sample showed slightly positive results in both RLA and CLIA, suggesting a cross-reaction. This study showed that five months after the pandemic began in Japan, the staff of a general hospital with a tertiary emergency medical facility had an extremely low seroprevalence of the antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Further investigation will be needed to determine whether the slightly high results were due to cross-reactions or a low titer of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The quantitative RLA was considered sensitive enough to detect low titers of antibodies.

Two Neuropsychiatric Cases Seropositive for Bornavirus Improved by Ribavirin

While we previously detected anti-bornavirus antibodies via radioligand assay in psychiatric patients, we did not examine the viral pathogenicity in these individuals. Herein, we present 2 psychiatric patients who were seropositive for bornavirus and whose treatment-resistant symptoms improved after oral administration of ribavirin, a broad-spectrum antiviral agent. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis indicated that ribavirin affected the central nervous system of these patients. Ribavirin ameliorated intermittent involuntary head shaking, which is reminiscent of a symptom observed in bornavirus-infected animals. Using radioligand assays to examine the serial sera of these patients, we found a relationship between the titers of anti-bornavirus antibodies and the change in the patients' symptoms. Our findings suggest there is a relationship between bornavirus infection and human symptoms and that ribavirin may be useful in suppressing chronic bornavirus infection in some neuropsychiatric patients. However, the possibility remains that some other known or unknown virus other than bornavirus that is sensitive to ribavirin may have caused the symptoms. Additional evidence that directly indicates the causative relationship between bornavirus infection and human symptoms is needed before establishing the pathogenesis and treatment for human bornavirus infection.

Prevalence of antibodies against Borna disease virus proteins in Japanese children with autism spectrum disorder

Bornavirus infection is observed in both animals, including humans. However, bornavirus epidemiology in humans, especially in children, remains unclear. Here, we evaluated antibodies against bornaviruses in Japanese children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using immunofluorescence analysis, western blotting, and radio ligand assay. The prevalence of antibodies against bornavirus-specific speckles, N, and P proteins were 22%, 48%, and 33%, respectively, in the ASD children. According to our criteria, the prevalence of antibodies against bornaviruses was 7.4% in the ASD children. This is the first report of the serological prevalence of bornavirus in Japanese children. Our results provide valuable baseline-data regarding bornavirus epidemiology in children for future studies.

The association between Borna Disease Virus and schizophrenia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Schizophrenia is a disabling psychiatric disorder. The role of Borna Disease Virus (BDV) in the etiology of schizophrenia has been suggested by several studies. However, the existence of such association remained controversial. The present meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate this association.

METHOD

This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted using preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA). Online databases including Scopus, PubMed, Science direct, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science and Google scholar search engine were searched until January 15, 2017. The heterogeneity of the studies was evaluated using Cochran's Q test and I² statistic. Finally, random effects model was used for combining the results using Stata software version 11.1.

RESULT

Overall, 30 studies containing 2533 cases and 4004 controls were included in the meta-analysis. The combined odds ratio (OR) for the relationship between BDV and schizophrenia was estimated to be 2.72 (95%CI: 1.75-4.20). This association based on RT-PCR, WB, IFA, EIA, RLA, ECLIA methods was estimated to be 3.83 (95%CI: 1.59-9.20), 4.99 (95%CI: 1.80-13.85), 1.27 (95%CI: 0.23-7.12), 2.26 (95%CI: 0.48-10.64), 1.67 (95%CI: 0.50-5.56) and 2.88 (95%CI: 1.38-6.01), respectively. Subgroup analysis according to WBC, serum and plasma samples was estimated to be 3.31 (95%CI: 1.19-9.25), 2.21 (95% CI: 1.17-4.17), 2.21 (95%CI: 1.03-4.73) and 7.89 (95%CI: 1.75-35.53), respectively.

CONCLUSION

The results indicated the role of BDV in the etiology of schizophrenia.

Application of antibodies against Borna disease virus phosphoprotein and nucleoprotein on paraffin sections

In order to study the application of antibodies against recombinant proteins for detecting Borna disease virus (BDV) phosphoprotein (p24) and nucleoprotein (p40) (BDV‑p24/p40) on paraffin sections by immunohistochemistry. The purified fusion p24 and p40 proteins were used for the preparation of polyclonal and monoclonal anti‑p24 and anti‑40 antibodies, which were confirmed by ELISA and western blotting. Paraffin sections were made from BDV‑infected Sprague‑Dawley (SD) rats (n=20), PBS‑injected SD rats (n=20), normal SD rats (n=20) and normal C57 mice (n=20). Immunohistochemical staining was performed according to the EnVision™ two‑step protocol. Heat‑mediated antigen retrieval was performed using the retrieval buffer sodium citrate (1 mM; pH 6.0). All the antibodies against recombinant proteins exhibited good sensitivity and specificity. There were significant differences between the BDV‑infected group and the BDV‑uninfected group for poly‑ and monoclonal anti‑p24 and ‑p40 antibodies. These antibodies against recombinant proteins may be used effectively to detect BDV p24 and p40 in paraffin sections.

Borna disease virus - fact and fantasy

The occasion of Brian Mahy's retirement as editor of Virus Research provides an opportunity to reflect on the work that led one of the authors (Lipkin) to meet him shortly after the molecular discovery and characterization of Borna disease virus in the late 1980s, and work with authors Briese and Hornig to investigate mechanisms of pathogenesis and its potential role in human disease. This article reviews the history, molecular biology, epidemiology, and pathobiology of bornaviruses.

Isotype analysis of human anti-Borna disease virus antibodies in Japanese psychiatric and general population

BACKGROUND

Borna disease virus (BDV) infection of humans has not been widely accepted due to the low titer of the antibody and lack of reliable diagnostic tools.

OBJECTIVES

To examine exposure to BDV or a related virus in Japanese psychiatric and general population by detecting the specific IgG, IgM, and IgA.

STUDY DESIGN

Sera from 304 psychiatric and 378 control subjects were examined for IgG, IgM, and IgA against BDV nucleoprotein (N) and phosphoprotein (P) using highly specific and sensitive radioligand assay. The avidity was also examined.

RESULTS

The specific IgG, IgM, and IgA against both BDV-N and -P were detected and the seropositivity was not significantly different between patients and controls. The avidity of the specific IgG was low to moderate, and the specific IgM did not disappear for several years.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggested common exposure to BDV or a related virus in the general Japanese population. Low avidity IgG and persistent IgM suggested delayed immune response against BDV or a related virus. The specific IgA indicated mucosal involvement.

Persistent Borna Disease Virus infection changes expression and function of astroglial gap junctions in vivo and in vitro

Neonatal Borna Disease Virus (BDV) infection of the Lewis rat brain leads to dentate gyrus (DG) degeneration, underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Since astroglial gap junction (GJ) coupling is known to influence neurodegenerative processes, the question arose whether persistent BDV infection influences astroglial connexins (Cx) Cx43 and Cx30 in the hippocampal formation (HiF) of Lewis rats. RT-PCR and Western blot analysis of forebrain (FB) samples revealed a virus dependent reduction of both Cx types 8 but not 4 weeks post infection (p.i.). Immunohistochemistry revealed an increase of Cx43 in the DG and a decrease in the CA3 region 4 and 8 weeks p.i. Cx30, which was detectable only 8 weeks p.i., revealed a BDV dependent increase in DG and CA3 regions. BDV dependent astrogliosis as revealed by immunodetection of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) correlated not with astroglial connexin expression. With regard to functional coupling as revealed by scrape loading, BDV infection resulted in increased spreading of the GJ permeant dye Lucifer yellow in primary hippocampal astroglial cultures, and in increased expression of Cx43 and Cx30 as revealed by immunocytochemistry. In conclusion, persistent BDV infection of the Lewis rat brain leads to changes in astroglial Cx expression both in vivo and in vitro and of functional coupling in vitro. Distribution and time course of these changes suggest them to be a direct result of neurodegeneration in the DG and an indirect effect of neuronal deafferentiation in the CA3 region.

Prevalence of Borna disease virus antibodies in healthy Japanese black cattle in Kyushu

Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that asymptomatic infection of Borna disease virus (BDV) is found in various species of animals in Japan. Recent reports have also revealed that neurological diseases caused by this virus could exist in horses, cattle, a dog, and cats in this country. In this study, we investigated seroprevalence of BDV antibodies in Japanese black cows reared in Kyushu, the southernmost main island of Japan, using ELISA and Western-immunoblotting. Of 101 serum samples, 11 (10.9%) and 21(20.7%) sera were identified as having antibodies to the BDV N and P antigens, respectively. Among the positive sera, three cows (2.9%) were seropositive for both of the antigens. Furthermore, interestingly, only female cows showed antibodies to P, whereas N antibodies were detected in male and female cows with a comparative ratio. Together with previous studies, our results indicate that BDV might be widely spread in cattle raised in Japan. Furthermore, this is the first report to show that beef cattle, Japanese black cattle, have antibodies against a possible zoonotic pathogen, BDV.