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Virus Psoriasis Theory assumes that some special virus (in particular, a retrovirus) may be a provocative agent of psoriasis. Virus Psoriasis Theory used to have a large number of supporters decades ago, and much less supporters nowadays.
Retrovirus Mechanism
Retroviruses are viruses that contain RNA. The most known and studied Retrovirus is Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
RNA (ribonucleic acid) is a single-stranded nucleic acid. RNA deals with the transcription of genetic information.
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is a double-stranded nucleic acid. DNA is the genetic material that carries the instructions for an organism.
Once the host cell is infected with a Retrovirus, there starts the synthesis of a virus DNA with the use of a virus RNA as a matrix.
Retroviruses for their replication use Reverse transcriptase enzyme. Reverse transcriptase of a virus synthesizes one DNA strand on the matrix of the virus RNA, and then on the basis of this one synthesized DNA strand it creates the second strand. This virus creates a complete double-stranded DNA. This double-stranded DNA of a virus enters the host cell and integrates into the DNA of the host cell.
Then this double-stranded DNA of a virus starts serving as a basis for the synthesis of the virus RNA molecules. These RNA molecules are capable of infecting new host cells etc.
Retrovirus and Psoriasis
In 1913 it was reported the discovery of a virus assumed to be the provocative agent of psoriasis. Subsequently there were published a huge number of works, which tried to confirm or to refute this theory.
Most researchers did not and do not now confirm the Virus Psoriasis Theory, since no-one could find the particular provoking psoriasis virus. The reproduction of psoriasis in the experiments with the use of the studied viruses failed. To this day the transfer of psoriasis from a person with psoriasis to a person without psoriasis was never noted.
Other scientists spoke about a genetically transferred retrovirus in people with psoriasis. The special feature of this retrovirus is its ability to change the "holy grail" of the living material - the DNA. There appears a "false program" in the cell, which facilitates the appearance of psoriasis.
But again, no-one could find the particular genetic psoriasis retrovirus.
Virus Psoriasis Theory was not proven.
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