Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are abundant sequences that persist within the
human genome as remnants of ancient retroviral infections. These sequences became fixed …

Schizophrenia risk has often been conceptualized using a model which requires two hits in
order to generate the clinical phenotype—the first as an early priming in a genetically …

The causes of multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis have long remained
elusive. A new category of pathogenic components, normally dormant within human …

The virome contains the most abundant and fastest mutating genetic elements on Earth. The
mammalian virome is constituted of viruses that infect host cells, virus-derived elements in …

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex systemic autoimmune disease. Infections
or infectious reactivation are potential triggers for initiation of autoimmunity and for SLE …

Viruses that cause chronic infection constitute a stable but little-recognized part of our
metagenome: our virome. Ongoing immune responses hold these chronic viruses at bay …

BACKGROUND: Patients with bipolar disorder are known to be at high risk of premature
death. Comorbid cardio-vascular diseases are a leading cause of excess mortality, well …

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) provides a useful model to study cellular immunity to a genetically
stable, persistent human virus. Different sets of proteins expressed during EBV's lytic and …

The predisposition of individuals to several common autoimmune diseases, such as
rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and multiple sclerosis, is genetically …

Superantigens (SAgs) are the most powerful T cell mitogens ever discovered.
Concentrations of less than 0· 1 pg/ml of a bacterial superantigen are sufficient to stimulate …