Elevation of antibodies to cytomegalovirus and other herpes viruses in pulmonary fibrosis

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine whether latent viral infection is associated with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), an interstitial lung disease whose aetiology remains to be elucidated.Cytomegalovirus ( Increases in cytomegalovirus immunoglobulin G and complement fixation titres with negative cytomegalovirus immunoglobulin M suggest that latent cytomegalovirus infection may be more prominent in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis or collagen vascular disease-related interstitial pneumonitis. Together with the elevation of EpsteinBarr virus viral capsid antigen and herpes simplex virus immunoglobulin G in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and/or collagen vascular disease-related interstitial pneumonitis, it is rational to assume that these viruses may be implicated in the development of pulmonary fibrosis. Further study is necessary to investigate the relationship between latent viral infection and pulmonary fibrosis.

Emerging evidence for endoplasmic reticulum stress in the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

“…Increased titers of antibodies to cytomegalovirus and Epstein Barr virus have been noted in IPF patients (89). Herpesvirus antigens can be detected in AECs lining areas of fibrosis in IPF lung biopsy samples but not in lung epithelium of controls (15,35,73).…”

Right place, right time: the evolving role of herpesvirus infection as a “second hit” in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

“…Subsequently, there have been multiple reports of herpesvirus detection by serology or PCR with increased frequency in subjects with IPF (4,11,36). Using PCR, Tang et al (32) found that 97% of patients with IPF had herpesvirus DNA present in lung tissue [including EBV, cytomegalovirus (CMV), human herpesvirus 7, and/or human herpesvirus 8] compared with 36% of normal lungs.…”

Cellular Mechanisms of Tissue Fibrosis. 7. New insights into the cellular mechanisms of pulmonary fibrosis

“…Another line of evidence suggesting that pulmonary fibrosis is related to epithelial cell dysfunction is the correlation between certain latent viral infections, such as EBV, CMV, HHV-7, and HHV-8, and human IPF (17,18,35,42,77,85,90). Such viruses are known to infect and remain latent in pulmonary epithelial cells (75), thereby potentially rendering them less able to repair following subsequent injury.…”