JC virus infection of lymphocytes-revisited

JC virus (JCV), the causative agent of the fatal human demyelinating disease progressive multifo-cal leukoencephalopathy (PML), is an opportunistic papovavirus that infects and destroys oligoden-drocytes, the myelin-producing cells of the central nervous system. Since its isolation from the brain of a PML patient, JCV has long been classed as a neurotropic virus. Many studies, however, have demonstrated that JCV can infect various other cell types, including immune system cells. Moreover, several recent studies have focused specifically on lymphocytes as a target of JCV. This review chronicles the association of JCV with lymphocytes, including cell type localization, molecular regulation, and viral sequences, and discusses clinical implications of these findings. The opportunistic polyomavirus, JC virus (JCV), is the etio- with PML [6]. Here we chronicle the association of JCV with lymphocytes, with emphasis on cell type localization, genelogic agent of the subacute human demyelinating disease, pro-gressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) (reviewed in regulation, and viral sequence assessment. [1, 2]). Classically, PML presents as a triad of symptoms: visual deficits, motor weakness, and altered mental state [3]. Less frequently, PML patients may display speech dysfunction, JCV Association with Lymphocytes cerebellar disorders, sensory deficits, extrapyramidal syn