Expression of endogenous retroviruses in blood mononuclear- cells and brain tissue from multiple sclerosis patients

Objectives ‐ To compare the expression of endogenous retroviruses in MS patients and controls. Material and methods ‐ Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were obtained from 22 MS patients, a corresponding number of matched healthy donors and five patients with other central nervous system diseases. Also brain specimens from MS patients and controls were obtained. Transcripts of various endogenous retroviruses in these samples were detected by RNA‐PCR. Results ‐ Several endogenous retroviral sequences were transcribed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and brain tissue from MS patients as well as controls. A composite transcript of an endogenous retrovirus and a zinc finger sequence was more frequently found in healthy donors than in MS patients. Conclusion ‐Some endogenous retroviruses are normally transcribed in white blood cells and brain tissue. The significance of those findings, which concerned the composite transcripts of the zinc finger sequence and its associated endogenous retrovirus, is uncertain.