Humoral immunity response to human endogenous retroviruses K/W differentiates between amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and other neurological diseases

G Arru; G Mameli; G A Deiana; A L Rassu; R Piredda; E Sechi; E Caggiu; M Bo; E Nako; D Urso; S Mariotto; S Ferrari; G Zanusso; S Monaco; G Sechi; L A Sechi

doi:10.1111/ene.13648

Humoral immunity response to human endogenous retroviruses K/W differentiates between amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and other neurological diseases

Eur J Neurol. 2018 Aug;25(8):1076-e84. doi: 10.1111/ene.13648. Epub 2018 May 14.

Authors

G Arru¹, G Mameli², G A Deiana¹, A L Rassu¹, R Piredda¹, E Sechi¹, E Caggiu², M Bo², E Nako¹, D Urso¹, S Mariotto³, S Ferrari³, G Zanusso³, S Monaco³, G Sechi¹, L A Sechi²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Clinical, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
² Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
³ Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.

PMID: 29603839
DOI: 10.1111/ene.13648

Abstract

Background and purpose: Human endogenous retroviruses (HERV) K/W seem to play a role in fostering and exacerbation of some neurological diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Given these findings, the immunity response against HERV-K and HERV-W envelope surface (env-su) glycoprotein antigens in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was investigated for ALS, multiple sclerosis (MS) and Alzheimer's disease patients and in healthy controls.

Methods: Four antigenic peptides derived respectively from HERV-K and HERV-W env-su proteins were studied in 21 definite or probable ALS patients, 26 possible or definite relapsing-remitting MS patients, 18 patients with Alzheimer's disease and 39 healthy controls. An indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was set up to detect specific antibodies (Abs) against env-su peptides.

Results: Amongst the measured levels of Abs against the four different HERV-K peptide fragments, only HERV-K env-su_19-37 was significantly elevated in ALS compared to other groups, both in serum and CSF. Instead, amongst the Abs levels directed against the four different HERV-W peptide fragments, only HERV-W env-su_93-108 and HERV-W env-su_248-262 were significantly elevated, in the serum and CSF of the MS group compared to other groups. In ALS patients, the HERV-K env-su_19-37 Abs levels were significantly correlated with clinical measures of disease severity, both in serum and CSF.

Conclusions: Increased circulating levels of Abs directed against the HERV-W env-su_93-108 and HERV-W env-su_248-262 peptide fragments could serve as possible biomarkers in patients with MS. Similarly, increased circulating levels of Abs directed against the HERV-K env-su_19-37 peptide fragment could serve as a possible early novel biomarker in patients with ALS.

Keywords: Alzheimer disease; HERV-K; HERV-W; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; humoral immunity; multiple sclerosis.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / diagnosis*
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / immunology*
Diagnosis, Differential
Endogenous Retroviruses / immunology*
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Female
Humans
Immunity, Humoral / immunology*
Male
Nervous System Diseases / diagnosis*
Nervous System Diseases / immunology*
Retroviridae Infections / immunology*