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Open Access 01-12-2012 | Research article

MHC2TA mRNA levels and human herpesvirus 6 in multiple sclerosis patients treated with interferon beta along two-year follow-up

Authors: Maria Inmaculada Dominguez-Mozo, Marta Garcia-Montojo, Virginia De Las Heras, Angel Garcia-Martinez, Ana Maria Arias-Leal, Ignacio Casanova, Rafael Arroyo, Roberto Alvarez-Lafuente

Published in: BMC Neurology | Issue 1/2012

Abstract

Background

In previous studies we found that MHC2TA +1614 genotype frequency was very different when MS patients with and without human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) in serum samples were compared; a different clinical behavior was also described. The purpose of the study was: 1. To evaluate if MHC2TA expression in MS patients was influenced by interferon beta (IFN-beta) treatment. 2. To study MHC2TA expression in MS patients with and without minor allele C. 3. To analyze the relation between MHC2TA mRNA levels and HHV-6 active infection in MS patients.

Methods

Blood and serum samples of 154 MS patients were collected in five programmed visits: basal (prior to beginning IFN-beta treatment), six, twelve, eighteen and twenty-four months later. HHV-6 in serum and MHC2TA mRNA levels were evaluated by PCR and RT-PCR, respectively. Neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) against IFN-beta were analyzed by the cytopathic effect assay.

Results

We found that MHC2TA mRNA levels were significantly lower among MS patients with HHV-6 active infection at the basal visit (without treatment) than in those MS patients without HHV-6 active infection at the basal visit (p = 0.012); in all the positive samples we only found variant A. Furthermore, 58/99 (58.6%) MS patients without HHV-6 along the five programmed visits and an increase of MHC2TA expression after two-years of IFN-beta treatment were clinical responders vs. 5/21 (23.8%) among those MS patients with HHV-6 and a decrease of MHC2TA mRNA levels along the two-years with IFN-beta treatment (p = 0.004); no differences were found between patients with and without NAbs.

Conclusions

MHC2TA mRNA levels could be decreased by the active replication of HHV-6; the absence of HHV-6 in serum and the increase of MHC2TA expression could be further studied as markers of good clinical response to IFN-beta treatment.

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The pre-publication history for this paper can be accessed here:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2377/12/107/prepub

Title: MHC2TA mRNA levels and human herpesvirus 6 in multiple sclerosis patients treated with interferon beta along two-year follow-up
Authors: Maria Inmaculada Dominguez-Mozo
Marta Garcia-Montojo
Virginia De Las Heras
Angel Garcia-Martinez
Ana Maria Arias-Leal
Ignacio Casanova
Rafael Arroyo
Roberto Alvarez-Lafuente
Publication date: 01-12-2012
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: BMC Neurology / Issue 1/2012
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2377
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2377-12-107

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

MHC2TA mRNA levels and human herpesvirus 6 in multiple sclerosis patients treated with interferon beta along two-year follow-up

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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