Overview

• Peer-reviewed results published July 8 in JCI Insight revealed Human Pegivirus in the brains and spinal fluid of half of Parkinson’s patients but not in control subjects.
• Analysis of over 1,000 blood samples from the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative showed distinctive immune signatures tied to HPgV, with altered responses in carriers of the LRRK2 gene mutation.
• Investigators will expand post-mortem brain-tissue surveys across larger cohorts to assess how frequently HPgV breaches the blood-brain barrier.
• Mechanistic studies are planned to trace the virus’s pathway into the nervous system and clarify its potential causal role in Parkinson’s onset.
• The research team is evaluating licensed hepatitis C antivirals for repurposing as a novel intervention to target HPgV in Parkinson’s patients.