Envelope protein from Endogenous Retrovirus HERV-W responsible for tissue damage in Multiple sclerosis | Virus World | Scoop.it
From medicalxpress.com - June 28, 2019 2:43 PM

Early disease stages of multiple sclerosis (MS) are primarily characterized by immune cell infiltration of the central nervous system (CNS). This causes inflammation that damages the myelin sheaths that insulate nerves, which are established by specialized glial cells of the CNS called oligodendrocytes. These structures protect, nourish and stabilize the axons that transmit electrical signals between neurons.

 

In a new study published on June 18 in PNAS, a research team led by Professor Dr. Patrick Küry from the Department of Neurology (chaired by Professor Dr. Hans-Peter Hartung) has shed light on a novel axon damage mechanism that could be highly relevant for progressive MS (PMS) patients. 

 

As outlined by first author Dr. David Kremer, the envelope (ENV) protein of the pathogenic human endogenous retrovirus type W (pHERV-W) was found to be a major contributor to nerve damage in MS.