title: Epitopes of HERV-Wenv induce antigen-specific humoral immunity in multiple sclerosis patients.
abstract: To verify the serological response mounted against antigenic peptides from HERV-Wenv protein, we analyzed 80 multiple sclerosis (MS) serum samples, 27 of which were re-analyzed after a 6-month follow-up IFN-β therapy, and 73 healthy controls. Indirect ELISAs were carried out to detect antibodies specific for all the synthetic peptides derived from HERV-Wenv. Two antigenic peptides, HERV-Wenv93-108 (31.25%, p<0.0001) and HERV-Wenv248-262 (15%, p=0.02), were highly recognized by MS patients' antibodies when compared to healthy subjects. Moreover, antibody titer against these two peptides slightly decreased after six months of IFN-β-based therapy.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Sezione di Microbiologia e Virologia, Università di Sassari, Viale San Pietro 43b, 07100 Sassari, Italy. Electronic address: gmameli@uniss.it.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mameli
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Sezione di Microbiologia e Virologia, Università di Sassari, Viale San Pietro 43b, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cossu
authors.affiliation: Centro Sclerosi Multipla, Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica Medicina Clinica e Molecolare, Università di Cagliari, Via Is Guadazzonis 2, 09126 Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cocco
authors.affiliation: Centro Sclerosi Multipla, Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica Medicina Clinica e Molecolare, Università di Cagliari, Via Is Guadazzonis 2, 09126 Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frau
authors.affiliation: Centro Sclerosi Multipla, Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica Medicina Clinica e Molecolare, Università di Cagliari, Via Is Guadazzonis 2, 09126 Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Giovanna
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Marrosu
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Sezione di Microbiologia e Virologia, Università di Sassari, Viale San Pietro 43b, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Niegowska
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Sezione di Microbiologia e Virologia, Università di Sassari, Viale San Pietro 43b, 07100 Sassari, Italy. Electronic address: sechila@uniss.it.
authors.forename: Leonardo Antonio
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Sechi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D020077:Endogenous Retroviruses / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D056724:Immunity, Humoral / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000939:Epitopes; D010455:Peptides
keywords: HERV-Wenv; Humoral response; IFN-β therapy