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Multiple sclerosis-associated retrovirus in early multiple sclerosis: a six-year follow-up of a Sardinian cohort

Institute of Clinical Neurology, University of Sassari, Viale San Pietro 10, 07100, Sassari, Italy, stesot{at}hotmail.com

G Arru

Institute of Clinical Neurology, University of Sassari, Viale San Pietro 10, 07100, Sassari, Italy

G Mameli

Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Viale San Pietro 43/B, 07100, Sassari, Italy

C Serra

Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Viale San Pietro 43/B, 07100, Sassari, Italy

M Pugliatti

Institute of Clinical Neurology, University of Sassari, Viale San Pietro 10, 07100, Sassari, Italy

G Rosati

Institute of Clinical Neurology, University of Sassari, Viale San Pietro 10, 07100, Sassari, Italy

A Dolei

Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Viale San Pietro 43/B, 07100, Sassari, Italy

The human endogenous retroviruses (HERV)-W family contains an extracellular particle detected in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and designated as MS-associated retrovirus (MSRV). Through nested RT-PCR assays specific for pol MSRV gene, we preliminary reported that its presence in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of early MS patients could be indicative of a poor prognosis upon a three-year follow-up. In the present clinical study, we enlarged our blind observation up to six years. At study entry, 10 MS patients were MSRV^- and eight were MSRV⁺ in the CSF, both groups having a similar mean age and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score. After six year follow-up, the mean EDSS significantly differed between the MSRV^- and MSRV⁺ cohorts (4.3 versus 2.2; P = 0.004), as did the annual relapse rate (0.5 in the MSRV^- versus 0.3 in the MSRV⁺; P = 0.01). Finally, two MSRV^- patients entered the progressive phase, whilst none of the MSRV⁺ group entered this phase, and 9/10 MSRV^- versus 2/8 MSRV⁺ patients were treated with immunomodulatory or immunosuppressive drugs (P = 0.009). In conclusion, we found that the presence of MSRV virions in the CSF at the onset of MS is associated, not only with disability accumulation, but also with a higher rate of clinical re-exacerbations. With the known potential pathogenic effects of MSRV given in the literature, further investigations on MSRV are warranted.

Key Words: cerebrospinal fluid • endogenous retrovirus • MSRV • multiple sclerosis • prognosis

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This Article Abstract Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (5) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Sotgiu, S Articles by Dolei, A Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Sotgiu, S Articles by Dolei, A Social Bookmarking                   What's this?