Comparative expression of human endogenous retrovirus-W genes in multiple sclerosis

AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2007 Oct;23(10):1251-6. doi: 10.1089/aid.2006.0274.

Abstract

Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) have been associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) pathogenesis. Several related HERV-W sequences have been implicated in disease occurrence and progression; the MS retrovirus (MSRV) is one such element whose envelope protein has been recently demonstrated to be involved in innate immune pathogenesis. To distinguish MSRV from other HERV-W sequences we analyzed the relative abundance of individual HERV-W env sequences by employing a real-time PCR approach using specific oligonucleotide primers and tissue samples from MS and non-MS patients. Our analyses reveal that ERVWE1 env-encoding DNA and RNA exhibited increased detection (p < 0.05) and expression (p < 0.01) in the brains of MS patients. Similarly, ERVWE1 env transcripts were inducible in glial cells (p < 0.05), while comparable changes in MSRV abundance were not observed. These results indicate that individual HERVs might have distinct roles in MS pathogenesis.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Astrocytes / virology
  • Base Sequence
  • Brain / virology
  • Cells, Cultured
  • DNA Primers
  • Endogenous Retroviruses / genetics*
  • Gene Expression
  • Genes, env*
  • Humans
  • Macrophages / virology
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Multiple Sclerosis / etiology
  • Multiple Sclerosis / virology*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction

Substances

  • DNA Primers