Human intracisternal A-type retroviral particles associated with sjogren's syndrome

Abstract

The present invention relates to purified preparations of a novel retrovirus, to methods of diagnosis and treatment of Sjogren's syndrome, novel cell lines, and model systems for the study of autoimmune diseases and AIDS. It is based, in part, on the discovery of a novel retrovirus which is antigenically similar to human immunodeficiency virus but which appears to comprise a functionally distinct reverse transcriptase. According to the present invention, Sjogren's syndrome as well as other autoimmune diseases, may be diagnosed, and their clinical course may be monitored, by demonstrating the presence of anti-retroviral antibodies and/or measuring the levels of such antibodies. Alternatively, Sjogren's syndrome or other autoimmune diseases may be diagnosed or monitored by directly or indirectly demonstrating vital particles in the cells of a patient. Furthermore, according to the invention, Sjogren's patients who have been found to exhibit retrovirus or anti-retroviral antibodies may be treated with agents known to be useful in the treatment of retroviral diseases, including but not limited to, agents which interfere with reverse transcriptase function, such as, for example, nucleoside analogues (e.g. zidovudine or dideoxyinosine).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.