Multiple Sclerosis: Are Protective Immune Mechanisms Compromised by a Complex Infectious Background?
The immunological background of multiple sclerosis (MS) manifests as an altered reactivity against a diverse range of infections, particularly with the Epstein-Barr virus. Although this could be only an epiphenomenon of a more generalised dysfunction of the immune system in MS, it is also possible t...
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Series: | Autoimmune Diseases |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.4061/2011/708750 |
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doaj-b91804cbd9dc4f0092911dc27be000ae2020-11-25T01:41:19ZengHindawi LimitedAutoimmune Diseases2090-04302011-01-01201110.4061/2011/708750708750Multiple Sclerosis: Are Protective Immune Mechanisms Compromised by a Complex Infectious Background?Bernd Krone0John M. Grange1Institute of Virology, Centre for Hygiene and Human Genetics, University of Göttingen, Kreuzbergring 57, 37075 Göttingen, GermanyAdvanced Therapies Centre B2, London Clinic Cancer Centre, 22 Devonshire Place, London W1G 6JA, UKThe immunological background of multiple sclerosis (MS) manifests as an altered reactivity against a diverse range of infections, particularly with the Epstein-Barr virus. Although this could be only an epiphenomenon of a more generalised dysfunction of the immune system in MS, it is also possible that a complex infectious background forms the basis of a specific immune dysregulation finally causing the disease. It is thus suggested that the complex infectious background bears the key for an understanding of the immune pathogenesis of the disease. It appears probable that improved standards of hygiene cause regulatory defects in the immune system, allowing the abnormal expression of human endogenous retroviral (HERV) genes. On the basis of epidemiological observations we describe how a failure of expansion or an eclipse of a subfraction of self-antigen-specific CD8+ T cells mediating immune repair, and a deleterious mode of action of HERV gene products, could underlie the pathogenesis of MS.http://dx.doi.org/10.4061/2011/708750 |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Bernd Krone John M. Grange |
spellingShingle |
Bernd Krone John M. Grange Multiple Sclerosis: Are Protective Immune Mechanisms Compromised by a Complex Infectious Background? Autoimmune Diseases |
author_facet |
Bernd Krone John M. Grange |
author_sort |
Bernd Krone |
title |
Multiple Sclerosis: Are Protective Immune Mechanisms Compromised by a Complex Infectious Background? |
title_short |
Multiple Sclerosis: Are Protective Immune Mechanisms Compromised by a Complex Infectious Background? |
title_full |
Multiple Sclerosis: Are Protective Immune Mechanisms Compromised by a Complex Infectious Background? |
title_fullStr |
Multiple Sclerosis: Are Protective Immune Mechanisms Compromised by a Complex Infectious Background? |
title_full_unstemmed |
Multiple Sclerosis: Are Protective Immune Mechanisms Compromised by a Complex Infectious Background? |
title_sort |
multiple sclerosis: are protective immune mechanisms compromised by a complex infectious background? |
publisher |
Hindawi Limited |
series |
Autoimmune Diseases |
issn |
2090-0430 |
publishDate |
2011-01-01 |
description |
The immunological background of multiple sclerosis (MS) manifests as an altered reactivity against a diverse range of infections, particularly with the Epstein-Barr virus. Although this could be only an epiphenomenon of a more generalised dysfunction of the immune system in MS, it is also possible that a complex infectious background forms the basis of a specific immune dysregulation finally causing the disease. It is thus suggested that the complex infectious background bears the key for an understanding of the immune pathogenesis of the disease. It appears probable that improved standards of hygiene cause regulatory defects in the immune system, allowing the abnormal expression of human endogenous retroviral (HERV) genes. On the basis of epidemiological observations we describe how a failure of expansion or an eclipse of a subfraction of self-antigen-specific CD8+ T cells mediating immune repair, and a deleterious mode of action of HERV gene products, could underlie the pathogenesis of MS. |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.4061/2011/708750 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT berndkrone multiplesclerosisareprotectiveimmunemechanismscompromisedbyacomplexinfectiousbackground AT johnmgrange multiplesclerosisareprotectiveimmunemechanismscompromisedbyacomplexinfectiousbackground |
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