Thus, this analysis provides a neurobiological rationale for a recently completed clinical study in MS patients showing that antibody-mediated neutralization of pHERV-W ENV exerts neuroprotective effects.
Two human endogenous retroviruses of the HERV-W family are proposed as multiple sclerosis (MS) co-factors: MS-associated retrovirus (MSRV) and ERVWE1, whose env proteins showed several potentially neuropathogenic features, in vitro and in animal models.
The levels of multiple sclerosis-associated retrovirus (MSRV)-type DNA of Env gene was measured in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 52 patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and 40 healthy controls using specific quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis.
Two HERV-K18 SNPs (97Y/C and 154W/Stop substitutions) conforming three haplotypes were genotyped in Spanish cohorts of multiple sclerosis (n = 942), rheumatoid arthritis (n = 462) and ethnically matched controls (n = 601).
In pooled analyses, K18.3/K18.3 individuals had a significantly increased risk of MS (relative risks [RR] comparing K18.3/K18.3 vs K18.2/K18.2 = 2.7; 95% confidence interval: 1.1-6.4).ConclusionVariation in EBV-associated superantigen HERV-K18 Env could influence the genetic susceptibility to MS.