Differential Expression of HERV-W in Peripheral Blood in Multiple Sclerosis and Healthy Patients in Two Different Ethnic Groups

Q: What are the key findings of this study?

The Russian population displayed a higher basal level of HERV-W expression in both healthy and MS individuals compared to the British population.

Q: What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Observational. Population: Multiple Sclerosis (n=68). Intervention: Russian population (mixed Russian and Tatar) vs. UK population (Northern European). Primary outcome: Relative expression of HERV-W RNA in peripheral blood (p=<0.0001).

Q: What does this research mean for the field?

Basal expression levels of HERV-W in peripheral blood are significantly higher in Russian and Tatar populations compared to British populations, regardless of multiple sclerosis status. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

Q: What question did this study set out to answer?

To determine whether peripheral blood expression of HERV-W differs between multiple sclerosis patients and healthy controls across two ethnic cohorts with distinct baseline MS risks.

Rachael Tarlinton; Belinda Wang; Elena Morandi; Bruno Gran; Timur I. Khaiboullin; Albert A. Rizvanov; Svetlana F. Khaiboullina

doi:10.3389/fphar.2019.01645

January 30, 2020Frontiers in PharmacologyOpen Access

Differential Expression of HERV-W in Peripheral Blood in Multiple Sclerosis and Healthy Patients in Two Different Ethnic Groups

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Key result

Russian population shows higher basal HERV-W expression than British cohorts in healthy and MS individuals.

P<0.0001
n=68

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Why the study?

Most studies linking HERV-W overexpression with multiple sclerosis have focused on European groups with high risk, leaving it unclear if the relationship holds across ethnic groups.

Key Points

To determine whether peripheral blood expression of HERV-W differs between multiple sclerosis patients and healthy controls across two ethnic cohorts with distinct baseline MS risks.
Measured peripheral blood RNA expression of the HERV-W variant MSRV using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).
Compared MS patients and healthy controls from the UK (Northern European background, MS risk 108/100,000) and the Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation (mixed Russian and Tatar background, MS risk 21–31/100,000).
Russian participants exhibited a significantly higher basal expression level of MSRV in both healthy individuals and MS patients compared to British controls.
Russian MS patients showed a trend toward higher MSRV expression levels compared to healthy Russian controls.

Study Design

Type

Observational (n=68)

Multicenter

Yes

Structured PICO

P

Population

68 participants, comprising 40 patients with multiple sclerosis and 28 healthy controls from the UK and Russia, assessed for HERV-W RNA expression in peripheral blood.

O

Outcome

Relative RNA expression of HERV-W (MSRV) in peripheral blood measured via qPCRsurrogate

Main Result

p-value: p=<0.0001

HERV-W expression in peripheral blood varies significantly between different ethnic populations, highlighting the need to account for genetic background when using it as a biomarker for Multiple Sclerosis.

Limitations

Small sample size, particularly in the Russian healthy control group.
Use of whole blood in PaxGene tubes prevents direct comparison with previous studies that used PBMC or plasma.
Potential systematic bias from handling conditions during transport of Russian samples to the UK.
Study was not designed to stratify differences between stages of disease, as UK patients were in remission while Russian patients were at varying stages.
Small sample size
Lack of longitudinal data comparing the same patient through relapse and remission
Potential confounding by stage of disease
Potential polymorphisms in HERV-W loci between populations

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Implication

Ethnic differences drive MSRV expression independent of MS status; leaves open generalizability of HERV-W links beyond high-risk European groups.

Abstract

Overexpression of the Human endogenous retrovirus W (HERV-W) group of inherited retroviruses has been consistently linked with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). However most of the studies on this link have focused on European genetic groups with a very high risk of MS and it is not clear that this relationship holds for all ethnic groups. This study examined via qPCR the RNA expression in peripheral blood of HERV-W (the multiple sclerosis associated retrovirus variant MSRV) of MS patients and healthy controls from two ethnic groups with very different risk rates of MS. Population one was derived from the UK with a Northern European genetic background and an MS risk rate of 108/100,000, population two was derived from the republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation, with a mixed Russian (Eastern European) and Tartar (Turkic or Volga/Urals) population with an MS risk rate of 21-31/100,000. The Russian population displayed a significantly higher basal level of expression of MSRV in both healthy and MS individuals when compared to the British control population with a trend in the Russian population towards higher expression levels in MS patients than healthy patients.

Discussion

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Cite This Study

Tarlinton et al. (2020) conducted an observational in Multiple Sclerosis (n=68). Russian population (mixed Russian and Tatar) vs. UK population (Northern European) was evaluated on Relative expression of HERV-W RNA in peripheral blood (p=<0.0001). The Russian population displayed a higher basal level of HERV-W expression in both healthy and MS individuals compared to the British population.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6aa502b8881927c3e181218c https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2019.01645

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Differential Expression of HERV-W in Peripheral Blood in Multiple Sclerosis and Healthy Patients in Two Different Ethnic Groups

Figures

Key Points

Study Design

Structured PICO

Main Result

Limitations

Ask about this paper

Implication

Abstract

Discussion

Cite This Study

Differential Expression of HERV-W in Peripheral Blood in Multiple Sclerosis and Healthy Patients in Two Different Ethnic Groups

Figures

Key Points

Study Design

Structured PICO

Main Result

Limitations

Ask about this paper

Implication

Abstract

Discussion

Cite This Study

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