title: [Endogenous retroviruses in multiple sclerosis].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In recent years, it has been suggested that human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) may play a role in autoimmune diseases. HERVs represent both putative susceptibility genes and putative pathogenic viruses in multiple sclerosis (MS). Initially, our objective was to characterize a retrovirus produced by MS derived cell lines and to investigate this association in vivo.
  
  
  METHODS
  The retrovirus was identified by RT-PCR on virion RNA purified from RT-positive retroviral particles from the MS cell lines, and from blood samples from MS patients. Wistar rats were immunized with purified virions and serological responses analyzed by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sequence variants highly homologous to the HERV-H family were found. The same sequences were specifically found in the particulate fraction of a series of MS patient plasma samples and were absent in controls. A database search demonstrated HERV-H copies in several chromosome regions implied in MS susceptibility. Virion-immunized rats developed a specific serological response towards HERV-H peptides indicating that immunogenic virion proteins are encoded by HERV-H.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Activation of normally replicatively quiescent HERVs may be causally involved in MS.
authors.affiliation: Institut for Medicinsk Mikrobiologi & Immunologi, Bioteknologisk Institut, Hørsholm, Aarhus Universitet. tc@microbiology.au.dk
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Sørensen
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Møller-Larsen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002897:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 7; D020077:Endogenous Retroviruses / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014771:Virion / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral
vernacular_title: Undersøgelse af endogene retrovirus i multipel sklerose.