2014年11月13日 訊 /生物谷BIOON/ --近日,刊登在國際雜誌PNAS上的一篇研究論文中,來自約翰霍普金斯大學的科學家通過研究發現,相比健康個體而言,咽喉存在藻類病毒的個體或許更難以完成智力的鍛鍊,這種病毒名為刺胞蟲小球藻病毒1(ATCV-1,Acanthocystis turfacea Chlorella virus),研究顯示其可以限制小鼠的認知能力。
文章中,研究者表示,在92個人類受試對象中有一半個體機體中都存在ATCV-1;當將ATCV-1注射入小鼠機體中後,小鼠很難在迷宮中「導航」也很難注意到周圍的事物。目前研究人員尚不清楚為何病毒可以影響機體的心理功能。Robert Yolken教授說道,我們認為很有必要進行額外的科學研究來揭示環境中常見的感染性製劑對人類健康和認知的影響。
本文中ATCV-1的發現是基於研究者對健康個體的咽喉微生物進行分析研究過程中所鑑別出的,ATCV-1在淡水池塘和小溪中廣泛存在,此前研究者認為該病毒僅能感染藻類,但本文研究卻發現當人們在遊泳過程中誤吞了含有病毒的水就會引發感染。目前研究者並不清楚ATCV-1對個體大腦的影響是持久性的還是短暫性的;研究人員還需要深入的研究來理解該病毒同DNA的作用,及該病毒對人類機體大腦認知的影響。
最後研究者Jordan Josephson指出,正如很多研究一樣,我們發現人類機體中寄居的病毒、細菌和真菌間存在相互作用,其往往會影響到人類機體的健康,本文研究揭示了人類口腔病毒和多種健康問題(比如認知問題)之間的關聯,後期研究中研究人員將投入更大的精力來揭示本文中發現的ATCV-1影響人類心智能力的機制。(生物谷Bioon.com)
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Chlorovirus ATCV-1 is part of the human oropharyngeal virome and is associated with changes in cognitive functions in humans and mice
Robert H. Yolkena,1, Lorraine Jones-Brandoa, David D. Duniganb, Geetha Kannanc, Faith Dickersond, Emily Severancea, Sarven Sabunciyana, C. Conover Talbot, Jr.e, Emese Prandovszkya, James R. Gurnonb, Irina V. Agarkovab, Flora Leistera, Kristin L. Gressitta, Ou Chena, Bryan Deubera, Fangrui Mab, Mikhail V. Pletnikovc, and James L. Van Ettenb,1
Chloroviruses (family Phycodnaviridae) are large DNA viruses known to infect certain eukaryotic green algae and have not been previously shown to infect humans or to be part of the human virome. We unexpectedly found sequences homologous to the chlorovirus Acanthocystis turfacea chlorella virus 1 (ATCV-1) in a metagenomic analysis of DNA extracted from human oropharyngeal samples. These samples were obtained by throat swabs of adults without a psychiatric disorder or serious physical illness who were participating in a study that included measures of cognitive functioning. The presence of ATCV-1 DNA was confirmed by quantitative PCR with ATCV-1 DNA being documented in oropharyngeal samples obtained from 40 (43.5%) of 92 individuals. The presence of ATCV-1 DNA was not associated with demographic variables but was associated with a modest but statistically significant decrease in the performance on cognitive assessments of visual processing and visual motor speed. We further explored the effects of ATCV-1 in a mouse model. The inoculation of ATCV-1 into the intestinal tract of 9–11-wk-old mice resulted in a subsequent decrease in performance in several cognitive domains, including ones involving recognition memory and sensory-motor gating. ATCV-1 exposure in mice also resulted in the altered expression of genes within the hippocampus. These genes comprised pathways related to synaptic plasticity, learning, memory formation, and the immune response to viral exposure.