Contributions
Abstract: P998
Type: Poster
Abstract Category: Pathology and pathogenesis of MS - 16 Microbiology and Virology
Background and goals: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system, characterized by demyelination of axons and loss of oligodendrocytes. Free virus-like particles (MS-associated retrovirus or MSRV) have been purified from cells of MS patients. MSRV turned out to be closely related to Human Endogenous Retroviruses family type W (HERV-W), although the exact relationship has not been clarified yet. Follow-up studies have shown that MSRV/ HERV-W expression is elevated in autopsied brain tissue and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from MS patients versus controls. The aim of the present study was to assess the MSRV/HERV-Wenv expression in PBMCs from MS patients, as well as to search for MS-associated MSRV/HERV-W loci.
Methodology and principal findings: We analyzed MSRV/HERV-Wenv transcription levels by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) in PBMCs from 5 MS patients, 6 clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) patients and 9 controls. MS patients did not show differences in MSRV/HERV-Wenv expression over controls. However, CIS patients presented a 1.37-fold increase in MSRV/HERV-Wenv expression compared to controls (p=0.006). We sequenced MSRV/HERV-Wenv-specific PCR products generated after reverse transcription of RNA of 6 MS patients and 6 controls to identify loci transcribed in PBMCs. 21 transcribed MSRV/HERV-W loci were found within 141 sequenced clones, of which one locus on chromosome 5p12 showed relative transcript levels 2.5-time higher in MS patients over controls (p=0.016).
Conclusions: We identified a higher expression of MSRV/HERV-Wenv in CIS patients compared to controls, but not in MS patients. This could indicate that increased MSRV/HERV-Wenv expression might be diagnostic for the earliest stages of the disease. Our comprehensive analysis of MSRV/HERV-Wenv transcription highlighted a locus that was more abundantly transcribed in MS patients than controls (5p12), suggesting that it could be a MS-associated HERV-W copy and a target for further investigations.
Disclosure:
Sofía Macías-Redondo: nothing to disclose
José Ramón Ara: nothing to disclose
Jesús Martín-Martínez: nothing to disclose
Jon Schoorlemmer: nothing to disclose
Abstract: P998
Type: Poster
Abstract Category: Pathology and pathogenesis of MS - 16 Microbiology and Virology
Background and goals: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system, characterized by demyelination of axons and loss of oligodendrocytes. Free virus-like particles (MS-associated retrovirus or MSRV) have been purified from cells of MS patients. MSRV turned out to be closely related to Human Endogenous Retroviruses family type W (HERV-W), although the exact relationship has not been clarified yet. Follow-up studies have shown that MSRV/ HERV-W expression is elevated in autopsied brain tissue and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from MS patients versus controls. The aim of the present study was to assess the MSRV/HERV-Wenv expression in PBMCs from MS patients, as well as to search for MS-associated MSRV/HERV-W loci.
Methodology and principal findings: We analyzed MSRV/HERV-Wenv transcription levels by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) in PBMCs from 5 MS patients, 6 clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) patients and 9 controls. MS patients did not show differences in MSRV/HERV-Wenv expression over controls. However, CIS patients presented a 1.37-fold increase in MSRV/HERV-Wenv expression compared to controls (p=0.006). We sequenced MSRV/HERV-Wenv-specific PCR products generated after reverse transcription of RNA of 6 MS patients and 6 controls to identify loci transcribed in PBMCs. 21 transcribed MSRV/HERV-W loci were found within 141 sequenced clones, of which one locus on chromosome 5p12 showed relative transcript levels 2.5-time higher in MS patients over controls (p=0.016).
Conclusions: We identified a higher expression of MSRV/HERV-Wenv in CIS patients compared to controls, but not in MS patients. This could indicate that increased MSRV/HERV-Wenv expression might be diagnostic for the earliest stages of the disease. Our comprehensive analysis of MSRV/HERV-Wenv transcription highlighted a locus that was more abundantly transcribed in MS patients than controls (5p12), suggesting that it could be a MS-associated HERV-W copy and a target for further investigations.
Disclosure:
Sofía Macías-Redondo: nothing to disclose
José Ramón Ara: nothing to disclose
Jesús Martín-Martínez: nothing to disclose
Jon Schoorlemmer: nothing to disclose