title: A survey of endogenous retrovirus (ERV) sequences in the vicinity of multiple sclerosis (MS)-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).
abstract: Although multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common central nervous system diseases in young adults, little is known about its etiology. Several human endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are considered to play a role in MS. We are interested in which ERVs can be identified in the vicinity of MS associated genetic marker to find potential initiators of MS. We analysed the chromosomal regions surrounding 58 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are associated with MS identified in one of the last major genome wide association studies. We scanned these regions for putative endogenous retrovirus sequences with large open reading frames (ORFs). We observed that more retrovirus-related putative ORFs exist in the relatively close vicinity of SNP marker indices in multiple sclerosis compared to control SNPs. We found very high homologies to HERV-K, HCML-ARV, XMRV, Galidia ERV, HERV-H/env62 and XMRV-like mouse endogenous retrovirus mERV-XL. The associated genes (CYP27B1, CD6, CD58, MPV17L2, IL12RB1, CXCR5, PTGER4, TAGAP, TYK2, ICAM3, CD86, GALC, GPR65 as well as the HLA DRB1*1501) are mainly involved in the immune system, but also in vitamin D regulation. The most frequently detected ERV sequences are related to the multiple sclerosis-associated retrovirus, the human immunodeficiency virus 1, HERV-K, and the Simian foamy virus. Our data shows that there is a relation between MS associated SNPs and the number of retroviral elements compared to control. Our data identifies new ERV sequences that have not been associated with MS, so far.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics I, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany. christine.bruetting@uk-halle.de.|Department of Neurology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Ernst-Grube-Street 40, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany. christine.bruetting@uk-halle.de.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brütting
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Ernst-Grube-Street 40, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Emmer
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Ernst-Grube-Street 40, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany.
authors.forename: Malte
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kornhuber
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics I, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Staege
mesh_terms: D020077:Endogenous Retroviruses / Q000235:genetics*; D056426:Genetic Loci; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D055106:Genome-Wide Association Study; D006801:Humans; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000821:virology; D015260:Neprilysin / Q000235:genetics; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012306:Risk; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; C436550:MMEL1 protein, human; D015260:Neprilysin
keywords: Genome wide association studies (GWAS); Open reading frames (ORFs); Repetitive elements; Retroelements