Detection of retroviral antibodies in primary biliary cirrhosis

1 report a high incidence of retroviral antibodies in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). In addition they find a strong association between the presence of antibodies to double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) and antibody reactivity to a specific retroviral agent, human intracisternal A-type particle (HIAP). These workers conclude that, in analogy to previous findings with HIV p24 gag reactivity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and Sjogren's syndrome, the presence of antibodies reacting with denatured HIAP antigens indicates retroviral infection. However, they do not mention that studies with native viral HIV p24 gag-protein did not show antibody reactivity to these patients with Sjogren's syndrome, not even in the presence of antibodies reacting with HIV p24 gag in an immunoblot assay. 2