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Endogenous Retroviruses and MS - New Pieces to the Puzzle

shannah

Senior Member
Messages
1,429
Interesting piece of research. Could something similar be happening in us???
Endogenous retroviruses and multiple sclerosis--new pieces to the puzzle

Kari K Nissen, Magdalena J Laska, Bettina Hansen, Thorkild Terkelsen, Palle Villesen, Shervin Bahrami, Thor Petersen, Finn S Pedersen and Bjørn A Nexø
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BMC Neurology 2013, 13:111 doi:10.1186/1471-2377-13-111
Published: 28 August 2013
Abstract (provisional)

The possibility that retroviruses play a role in multiple sclerosis (MS) has long been considered; accumulating findings suggest this to be most likely in the form of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs). A genetic test series of fifty endogenous retroviral loci for association with MS in Danes showed SNP markers near a specific endogenous retroviral locus, HERV-Fc1 located on the X-chromosome, to be positive. Bout Onset MS was associated with the HERV-Fc1 locus, while a rarer form, Primary Progressive MS, was not. Moreover, HERV-Fc1 gag RNA in plasma was increased 4-fold in patients with recent history of attacks, relative to patients in a stable state and to healthy controls. Finally, genetic variations in restriction genes for retroviruses influence the risk of MS, providing further support for a role of retroviral elements in disease. We speculate that endogenous retroviruses may activate the innate immune system in a variety of ways, involving the host proteins, TRIMs, TLRs, TREXs and STING. Observations in HIV-positive patients suggest that antiretroviral drugs can curb MS. Thus, these new findings regarding the etiology and pathogenesis of MS, suggest alternative ways to challenge autoimmune diseases.

http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2377/13/111/abstract
 

wastwater

Senior Member
Messages
1,271
Location
uk
Maybe getting a virus like EBV sets off a permanent reaction to HERVs or maybe it integrates with the chromosone in the genetically vulnerable
 

snowathlete

Senior Member
Messages
5,374
Location
UK
Interesting that its on the X chromosome which of course may explain why more women get MS and other autoimmune conditions than men. I think HERVs may well be involved in ME/CFS and findings elsewhere could well become relevant.