ArticlePloS one2013
The DNA copy number of human endogenous retrovirus-W (MSRV-type) is increased in multiple sclerosis patients and is influenced by gender and disease severity.
Article in PloS one, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 40 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
40 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 88 citations in OpenAlex.
- Up-to-date knowledge about the association between multiple sclerosis and the reactivation of human endogenous retrovirus infections.Journal of neurology · 2018Pooled it
- The association between human endogenous retroviruses and multiple sclerosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.PloS one · 2017Pooled it
- Human endogenous retrovirus HERV-Fc1 association with multiple sclerosis susceptibility: a meta-analysis.PloS one · 2014Pooled it
- Transdiagnostic treatment of emotional disorders for women with multiple sclerosis: a randomized controlled trial.BMC women's health · 2020Trial
- Human Endogenous Retroviruses in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Emerging Roles in Pathogenesis, Immunity, Biomarkers and Therapeutics.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- HERV-W association with serum biomarkers NfL and GFAP in multiple sclerosis.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Article
- Analysis of the profiles of human endogenous retroviruses W, K, and H and the systemic inflammatory status in vitiligo patients: insights on the dynamics of endogenous retroviral expression and its interplay with inflammatory response.Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2026Article
- Mucosal Viruses in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Missing Piece of the Puzzle?International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- Anti-Human Endogenous Retrovirus and Anti-Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Humoral Response in Cerebrospinal Fluid of Multiple Sclerosis Patients: A Case Control Study.Microbiology and immunology · 2025Article
- Review
- Association of Human Endogenous Retrovirus-W (HERV-W) Copies with Pemphigus Vulgaris.Current molecular medicine · 2024Article
- Article
- Association of Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) and Human Endogenous Retroviruses (HERV) with Multiple Sclerosis in Northwest of Iran.International journal of inflammation · 2023Article
- Emerging therapies to target CNS pathophysiology in multiple sclerosis.Nature reviews. Neurology · 2022Review
- Article
- Human endogenous retroviruses and the inflammatory response: A vicious circle associated with health and illness.Frontiers in immunology · 2022Review
- Human Endogenous Retrovirus as Therapeutic Targets in Neurologic Disease.Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Review
- Endogenous Retroviruses in Nervous System Disorders.Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Review
- Cumulative Roles for Epstein-Barr Virus, Human Endogenous Retroviruses, and Human Herpes Virus-6 in Driving an Inflammatory Cascade Underlying MS Pathogenesis.Frontiers in immunology · 2021Article
- Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
13 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundMultiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease more prevalent in women than in men. Multiple Sclerosis Associated Retrovirus element (MSRV) is a member of type-W endogenous retrovirus family (HERV-W), known to be associated to MS. Most HERVs are unable to replicate but MSRV expression associated with reverse-transcriptase activity in MS would explain reported DNA copy number increase in MS patients. A potential link between HERV-W copies on chromosome X and gender differential prevalence has been suggested. The present study addresses MSRV-type DNA load in relation with the gender differences and clinical status in MS and healthy controls.
results178 MS patients (62.9% women) and 124 controls (56.5% women) were included. MSRV env load (copies/pg of DNA) was analyzed by real time qPCR with specific primers and probe for its env gene, in DNA from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). MSRV load was more elevated in MS patients than in controls (p = 4.15e-7). MS women presented higher MSRV load than control women (p = 0.009) and MS men also had higher load than control men (p = 2.77e-6). Besides, women had higher levels than men, both among patients (p = 0.007) and controls (p = 1.24e-6). Concordantly, EDSS and MSSS scores were higher among female patients with an elevated MSRV load (p = 0.03 and p = 0.04, respectively).
conclusionsMSRV increases its copy number in PBMC of MS patients and particularly in women with high clinical scores. This may explain causes underlying the higher prevalence of MS in women. The association with the clinical severity calls for further investigations on MSRV load in PBMCs as a biomarker for MS.
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