title: CD46 expression and HHV-6 infection in patients with multiple sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the possible association between the levels of the CD46 expression, and the presence and viral load of HHV-6 in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected blood and serum samples of 103 patients with MS and the same number of healthy blood donors (HBD); total DNA and RNA was extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and serum, and then analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR for the detection of CD46 transcripts and HHV-6 genomes; the expression of rRNA18s was used for the calculation of the relative expression of CD46.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Almost 80% of patients with MS had increased levels of CD46 in comparison with HBD, and a positive correlation was also found between the over-expression of CD46 in patients with MS and the HHV-6 DNA prevalence and viral load in the blood and serum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Therefore, the up-regulation of CD46 expression in patients with MS with HHV-6 infection could constitute an immunopathogenic factor that should be further investigated to elucidate its role in MS.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain. ralvarezlafuente@yahoo.es
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alvarez-Lafuente
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garcia-Montojo
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: De Las Heras
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Dominguez-Mozo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bartolome
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arroyo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051916:Membrane Cofactor Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications*; D019349:Roseolovirus Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications*; D044967:Serum / Q000821:virology; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C497857:CD46 protein, human; D051916:Membrane Cofactor Protein