These results thereby support the parallel between early results showing retroviral expression in MS
1,
3,
17,
53 and this pathogenic HERV-W expression of MSRV subtype sequences and Env. It therefore confirms the accuracy of the rationale for its ex-vivo detection in peripheral blood, as in the present study. This protein has major immunopathogenic properties as evidenced by original studies,
24,
26 the features of which are also seen ex-vivo in immune cells from MS patients.
25,
54 This thereby means that such an immunopathogenic protein can be pivotal to MS immunopathogenesis when present in lesion sites, secreted by active macrophage cells as described,
3 and re-circulating in MS blood with significantly increased DNA copy number.
Such additional DNA is commonly produced by RT from retroviral genomes, whether it is endogenous or exogenous, and RT activity was the first evidenced biomarker of this HERV expression in MS cells.
1,
3 These results together with the many others accumulated over the past two decades indicate that this MSRV subtype of the HERV-W family is likely to play a role in initiating and fueling a pathogenic ’chain reaction’ causing MS
....
Based on the present observations and on the preclinical efficacy of an anti-Env neutralizing monoclonal antibody in MS-like EAE animal models induced by HERV-W Env, as evoked above in this discussion,
a humanized antibody is now to be evaluated in clinical trials with MS patients (Clinical Phase I has been achieved). More generally this domain of HERV association with complex human neurological diseases is now emerging with recent evidence of an association of HERV-K family elements and ALS
