XMRV and cortisol, steroid hormones (Re: The spin by other doctors continue).

[Guest guest]

I think the reason for using vague wording such as " various " is to avoid

specifying exactly which hormones might bind to this binding site when it's not

known. Dr. mentioned progesterone to me. I have never noticed any

correlation between my symptoms and my monthly hormonal cycles, but some women

have.

I'm not advising anybody to change any treatment based on this receptor, but we

should know about this and ask knowledgeable doctors, which at this point are

not many.

Once the retroviral DNA is integrated into ours, it will not be transcribed

(copied to RNA as the first step in making more infectious virions) unless the

virus can bind RNA polymerase. The LTR part of the virus controls transcription

and I think it binds RNA pol. Steroid hormones do bind to DNA and lead to

transcription of normal human genes, so the virus is taking advantage of a

pre-existing mechanism. This is my take on it from general knowledge of these

things, but I'm not a virologist.

Nicola

>

>

>> What is the evolutionary reason for replicating when there are

> " various steroids " (all steroid hormones? only androgens and

> cortisol?)?

>

> Maybe if we find out why the retrovirus has a gre, it will lead to

> clues. If some HHV# have a similar receptor, then perhaps the answer

> is known?

>