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Ivan, This was most interesting! I am mostly a reader of this site, but really needed to let you know how interesting this was for me to read. I am also wondering...and you may be able to answer this question, is Scarlet Fever a virus? I had it when I was about 5-6 years old. Thanks, Christine 53/52/48 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ivan M Suzman" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Saturday, March 23, 2002 1:14 PM Subject: VIrus Theory "Genes, Parkinson's, Viruses and Research Priorities " from Parkinson's Inform > Hello friends, > For those of you who are interested, > here is theoriginal theory that I posted > to PIEN- in February, 1999 > > Please forgive the length. > Ivan Suzman > > Subject: > PD caused by "HDV" virus:: "Genes, Parkinson's, Viruses and Research > Priorities " > (follow the above link to see other posts with this subject) > > Date: 02/01/2000 09:22 AM > (follow the above link to see other posts on this date) > > Author: [log in to unmask] > (follow the above link to see other posts by this person) > > Topics: No linked articles > (click a topic to see other posts mentioning that word) > > > > ^^^^^^ WARM GREETINGS FROM ^^^^^^^^^^^^ :-) > Ivan Suzman, PWP, 50/39/36 [log in to unmask] :-) > Portland, Maine land of lighthouses 22 deg. F :-) > ****************************************************************** > Dear PIEN, and all PD researchers, February 1, 2000 > > > The text of my VIRAL origin theory, sent to PIEN on Feb. 13, 1999, > follows. > Here, I suggested that Parkinson's Disease is probably viral, and I named > this hypothetical PD-causing virus "HDV", or Human Dopamine-Deficiency > Virus. > > PLEASE, PWP's AND RESEARCHERS, will you post comments on this theory, > and on funding priorities? Your comments will help PWP's (persons with > PD) worldwide, very much! > > Thank you to Greg Sterling of Pennsylvania, for retrieving this > message from the PIEN Archives. > > Sincerely yours, > > Ivan Suzman tel 207 797-8488 USA > ************************************************************************* > ********************************** > Date: 13/02/99 > Author: [log in to unmask] (Ivan M. Suzman) > Topics: Symptom, Parkinson's Disease, Dopamine, Dopaminergic, > Substantia > > > NIgra, Striatum, Encephalitis, Amantadine, > Tremor, PWP > > """"""""""""""""""""""""Original Message > Begins"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" > > GENES, PARKINSON'S , VIRUSES and RESEARCH PRIORITIES > > by Ivan M. Suzman, PWP > > I am now 49. For at least 13 years, I have lived with visible > symptoms of "young-onset" Parkinson's Disease (PD). The internal systems > of my body are now ruled by this unwanted condition. My response to > light, my tolerance of sound, my ability to maintain balance, my response > to cold or to heat, and my sexual function are among many autonomic > responses that are being devastated. > > I offer here, especially to interested persons such as Mr. Safra > and other financiers, whose financial positions and generosity may lead > to the eradication of this horrible malady, some thoughts on what > Parkinson's is, and how I would direct research monies to be invested. I > hope that these thoughts will stimulate decisive commitments to a > diversity of inspired researchers. I invite discussion. > > ------------**********--------------- > > Parkinson's Disease is one of many names for a group of > potentially fatal conditions which are all human dopamine deficiency > disorders (DDD's). Wide speculation about the cause or causes for the > onset of DDD's continues. Frequently mentioned are toxic exposure, > radiation, endosomatic trauma, viral infection or exposure, inherited > genetic change and aging. > > I see any DDD as an unfortunate proof that genetic change causes > biochemical malfunction. Any possible cause of a DDD depends on the > susceptibility of normal genetic material to alteration. Gene sequences > which would normally code for the production, recognition, transport and > uptake of dopamine,such as sequences involved in controlling the 5-step > pathway from tyrosine to adrenaline, including DOPA, dopamine and > noradrenalin as the intermediate steps, and gene sequences involved in > the distribution of dopamine from the dopaminergic cells in the > substantia nigra to the anterior part of the ventral striatum to motivate > eating behaviors, and to the posterior part of the ventral striatum to > motivate movement, are where I would focus basic research. > > This research might be achieved at the NSF or at the NIH or in > private laboratories. > > Although I am no longer a professional scientist involved in > direct research, I was. I have been an NSF peer grant reviewer in > Physical Anthropology. I feel that the advances in cellular research > which are directed to locating the genetic controls on dopamine > production and distribution are the key areas of research that ought to > be funded. I believe that funding, whether in the private sector, or > through the promise of the $100,000,000.00 Udall Act in the USA, and > similar measures that may become law elsewhere on the planet, should be > concentrated on such gene systems. > > In recent weeks, Dr. Richard Palmiter of the University of > Washington, working with Cell Genesys in California, has reported > extraordinary and promising results in mice which were initially > genetically engineered to have a DDD essentially equal to human > Parkinson's Disease. I talked with him on Wednesday. Some 20 out of 23 > of these mice in his laboratory have been returned to virtually normal, > after the introduction via injection of a virus produced at Cell Genesys, > Inc. of California. > > From talking over the telephone to Gerry Haines of Bethlehem, > Pennsylvania, whose husband, Brig has PD, I discovered that the > American-based Parkinson's Alliance is discussing the prioritizing of > research money that it may be able to generate. I am very encouraged by > her hopefulness, and she asked me to write the following brief summary of > my thinking at this time. > > I believe that it is quite possible that a VIRAL origin of human > Parkinson's is likely for at least a significant proportion of DDD's > worldwide. > > Consider a few interesting facts: > > (1) The well-known post-swine flu encephalitis of the early part of > this century caused innumerable cases of "Parkinson's Disease" to > develop. These were memorialized by Dr. Oliver Sachs, in his book, > Awakenings. The movie, "Awakenings," forever and indelibly imprinted in > our memories by screen stars Robert De Niro and Robin Williams, recalls > the early use of L-dopa to cause movement and communication in "frozen" > hospital patients. The key point is that these people had been exposed > to a devastating virus. > > (2) It is very well known that amantadine, actually an ANTI-VIRAL > drug, reduces tremor in PWP's (people with Parkinson's). Antibiotic drugs > have also been reported to quell the symptoms of PWP's. > > (3) Horses in, I believe, Germany, develop an equine variety of DDD > after exposure to the Bern virus. I believe this report was released in > 1998. > > (4) Taiwanese women with Parkinson's are mentioned to be, > interestingly, post- herpes viral victims. > > (5) I also believe that recently there has been work to show that > Multiple Sclerosis can be attributed to the Herpes virus number 6. > > (6) I read in the New York Times about four years ago of a young > boy whose Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy was being treated with > genetically-engineered dystrophin, a man-made protein predicted to > restore normal movement to that patient. > > These 4 pieces of important evidence ( 1 - 4 above), and 2 > observations about related neuromotor disorders ( 5 and 6 above) can all > be used as CLUES in support of the idea of a VIRAL origin for human > Parkinson's Disease. Identification of this PD virus, much like the > current battle against the Ebola Virus, and also in light of the last 15 > years of worldwide, coordinated research to contain the Human > Immunodeficiency Virus, should take top priority in virology and public > health. > > To emphasize the urgency, I would simply say that my own ability > to live any tiny remnant of a disease-free life is very unlikely to > extend beyond 50 or so, unless something DRAMATIC happens soon in > research laboratories!! > > In epidemiology, we recently have seen the intriguing paper by Dr. > Tanner of California. She claims that 90% of the PD cases are due to a > toxic event. I am not so sure that her paper presents any unassailable > evidence of toxic exposure. A viral origin for DDD's might also > meanwhile explain her PD evidence on twins. Twins, whether identical, > fraternal or sororital, if sharing the same bedroom, could come into > contact with a PD-causing virus with greater frequency than siblings of > different ages. > > Let us for the moment assume that ALL DDD cases are due to either > viral exposure or to other causes capable of breaking up and rearranging > the normal amino acid sequence of either DNA, or the messenger RNA > templates that ultimately produce DNA. > > This assumption would give us a conceptual framework to understand > virtually all case of "Parkinson's Disease," no matter what the cause. > This framework strongly points towards viruses. > > Now, a few thoughts on the "cure" for Parkinson's Disease. Dr. > Palmiter's mice are injected with a man-made virus created at Cell > Genesys, a virus that takes over the animals' mRNA templates for the DNA > that codes for the enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase. This injection causes > the correct DNA sequence to be relaid, so that dopamine is produced, and > amazingly, the genetically-sick mice LOSE ALL SIGNS of Parkinson's > Disease, except some slowness of movement in some of the mice. > > The sick mice not only move again. Their DDD does a disappearing act > !! The sick mice seem to recover from the weight loss that threatens > them Their will to eat returns, along with their normal gait and > posture.. How strikingly reminiscent of the problems we PWP's have with > protein absorption and body weight loss that frequently assert themselves > in the middle and later stages of our various DDD's.I am going through > this ordeal now, and it is VERY difficult to control!! > > All it took was the correcting of a jumbled gene sequence to end > the DDD in the mice. > > I am ready to volunteer myself to Genesys, or to any laboratory > that can learn how to examine with repeated and consistent results, the > DNA sequence in human white blood cells, and of course in particular, the > DNA of PWP's. As long as published, repeatable methods are used, I > would REALLY like to imagine that it won't be that long before a viral > means of transporting the instructions to manufacture a corrected DNA > sequence, perhaps in the form of an injection, will be the magic > instrument that we PWP's in this Parkinson's-unfriendly world need. > > By taking such hopeful steps, we can enter what Judith Richards calls > a new "era." And step forward we must , so that we not only talk about, > but are participants in, a planetary effort to END Parkinson's DIsease. > Only then, will the coming of the millennium seem truly meaningful to me. > > Intensive and competitive research in virology, epidemiology and > public health, along with basic research in neurological biochemistry and > in human genetics, could be the basis of a coordinated program to > eradicate Parkinson's DIsease from the planet. > > BIg words, big ideas, and above all, HOPE, must be the at the center > of a global plan of attack. Personally, I am saying, why not dream for > the stars? Mr. Ali's steadfastness, and Mr. Fox's hopefulness are both > inspiring the world as the race for the cure begins. I only hope that Mr. > Fox's cure comes before he is 40, NOT 50, as he usually says. > > And, I see an all-out, worldwide ATTACK on what I will call the > Human Dopamine-Neutralizing VIrus, or " HDV " as the direction that can > usher us all into an era of radical action, and unending hope. > > After all, I am a PWP myself, and have my life to lose to this > devastating disease if a cure is not found. At age 49, I am at least 13 > years of noticeable symptoms into a DDD called "Young Onset Parkinson's > Disease," I see only the PUSH for the genetic explanation of PD in human > beings as the pathway to unravelling the PD mystery, and to preventative, > genetic treatment for HDV-positive persons. > > With our eyes looking forward, > > (Prof.) Ivan M. Suzman, young-onset PWP > Portland, Maine, USA > tel 207 797-8488 > e-mail : [log in to unmask] > _____________________Original Message > Ends_______________________________ > > If you wish to link to this post in a web page or email, use the URL > http://parkinsn.coles.org.uk/Parkinsons/PARKINSNLog.nsf/ByKey/FF2944184B2 > 9911 > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > ----------------------------------------------------- > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > ------- > > > If you wish to link to this post in a web page or email, use the URL > http://parkinsn.coles.org.uk/Parkinsons/PARKINSNLog.nsf/ByKey/8B14BDF03EE > 1B050 > > Use your browser's "Back" button to go back > Or you can go to the archive front page > > If you have any problems or comments we would be grateful if you would > fill out a comments form. > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn