Two endogenous retroviral loci appear to contribute to Multiple Sclerosis

Bjørn A Nexø; Sara B Jensen; Kari K Nissen; Bettina Hansen; Magdalena J Laska

doi:10.1186/s12883-016-0580-9

Two endogenous retroviral loci appear to contribute to Multiple Sclerosis

BMC Neurol. 2016 Apr 30:16:57. doi: 10.1186/s12883-016-0580-9.

Authors

Bjørn A Nexø¹, Sara B Jensen², Kari K Nissen^{2

3}, Bettina Hansen², Magdalena J Laska^{4

5}

Affiliations

¹ Aarhus University, Biomedicine, Bartholin Building, Wilhelm Meyers Alle 4, DK-8000, Aarhus C, Denmark. nexo@biomed.au.dk.
² Aarhus University, Biomedicine, Bartholin Building, Wilhelm Meyers Alle 4, DK-8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
³ Present address: VIA University College, DK-8200, Aarhus, Denmark.
⁴ Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, DK-8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
⁵ Department of Rheumatology, Aarhus University Hospital, DK-8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.

Abstract

Background: Two endogenous retroviral loci seem to be involved in the human disease Multiple sclerosis (MS).

Results: The two retroviral loci synergize in and contribute to MS (shown by ANOVA). Synergy probably means recombination or complementation of the activated viruses. Similar observations may be true for Type 1 Diabetes and Rheumatoid arthritis. In MS the genes also synergize with the immune system; this could well be a common phenomenon.

Conclusion: We formulate various theories about the role of the viruses. Also, the concept is developing that some forms of autoimmunity should be treatable with antiretrovirals. In the case of MS, this idea is gradually gaining weight.

Keywords: Endogenous retroviral loci; Multiple sclerosis; Rheumatoid arthritis; Synergy of viruses; Type 1 Diabetes.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / genetics
Endogenous Retroviruses / genetics*
Humans
Multiple Sclerosis / genetics*