Are human endogenous retroviruses triggers of autoimmune diseases?: Unveiling associations of three diseases and viral loci

Bjørn A Nexø; Palle Villesen; Kari K Nissen; Hanne M Lindegaard; Peter Rossing; Thor Petersen; Lise Tarnow; Bettina Hansen; Tove Lorenzen; Kim Hørslev-Petersen; Sara Bisgaard Jensen; Shervin Bahrami; Maria Lajer; Kathrine L M Schmidt; Hans-Henrik Parving; Peter Junker; Magdalena Janina Laska

doi:10.1007/s12026-015-8671-z

Are human endogenous retroviruses triggers of autoimmune diseases? Unveiling associations of three diseases and viral loci

Bjørn A Nexø, Palle Villesen, Kari K Nissen, Hanne M Lindegaard, Peter Rossing, Thor Petersen, Lise Tarnow, Bettina Hansen, Tove Lorenzen, Kim Hørslev-Petersen, Sara Bisgaard Jensen, Shervin Bahrami, Maria Lajer, Kathrine L M Schmidt, Hans-Henrik Parving, Peter Junker, Magdalena Janina Laska

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Abstract

Autoimmune diseases encompass a plethora of conditions in which the immune system attacks its own tissue, identifying them as foreign. Multiple factors are thought to contribute to the development of immune response to self, including differences in genotypes, hormonal milieu, and environmental factors. Viruses including human endogenous retroviruses have long been linked to the occurrence of autoimmunity, but never proven to be causative factors. Endogenous viruses are retroviral sequences embedded in the host germline DNA and transmitted vertically through successive generations in a Mendelian manner. In this study by means of genetic epidemiology, we have searched for the involvement of endogenous retroviruses in three selected autoimmune diseases: multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, and rheumatoid arthritis. We found that at least one human endogenous retroviral locus was associated with each of the three diseases. Although there was a significant overlap, most loci only occurred in one of the studied disease. Remarkably, within each disease, there was a statistical interaction (synergy) between two loci. Additional synergy between retroviral loci and human lymphocyte antigens is reported for multiple sclerosis. We speculate the possibility that recombinants or mixed viral particles are formed and that the resulting viruses stimulate the innate immune system, thereby initiating the autoimmune response.

Original language	English
Journal	Immunologic Research
Volume	64
Issue	1
Pages (from-to)	55-63
Number of pages	9
ISSN	0257-277X
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s12026-015-8671-z
Publication status	Published - 2016

Access to Document

10.1007/s12026-015-8671-z

Cite this

Nexø, B. A., Villesen, P., Nissen, K. K., Lindegaard, H. M., Rossing, P., Petersen, T., Tarnow, L., Hansen, B., Lorenzen, T., Hørslev-Petersen, K., Bisgaard Jensen, S., Bahrami, S., Lajer, M., Schmidt, K. L. M., Parving, H.-H., Junker, P., & Laska, M. J. (2016). Are human endogenous retroviruses triggers of autoimmune diseases? Unveiling associations of three diseases and viral loci. Immunologic Research, 64(1), 55-63. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12026-015-8671-z

@article{9adea5579d93435981c3ce43336532c7,

title = "Are human endogenous retroviruses triggers of autoimmune diseases?: Unveiling associations of three diseases and viral loci",

abstract = "Autoimmune diseases encompass a plethora of conditions in which the immune system attacks its own tissue, identifying them as foreign. Multiple factors are thought to contribute to the development of immune response to self, including differences in genotypes, hormonal milieu, and environmental factors. Viruses including human endogenous retroviruses have long been linked to the occurrence of autoimmunity, but never proven to be causative factors. Endogenous viruses are retroviral sequences embedded in the host germline DNA and transmitted vertically through successive generations in a Mendelian manner. In this study by means of genetic epidemiology, we have searched for the involvement of endogenous retroviruses in three selected autoimmune diseases: multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, and rheumatoid arthritis. We found that at least one human endogenous retroviral locus was associated with each of the three diseases. Although there was a significant overlap, most loci only occurred in one of the studied disease. Remarkably, within each disease, there was a statistical interaction (synergy) between two loci. Additional synergy between retroviral loci and human lymphocyte antigens is reported for multiple sclerosis. We speculate the possibility that recombinants or mixed viral particles are formed and that the resulting viruses stimulate the innate immune system, thereby initiating the autoimmune response.",

author = "Nex{\o}, {Bj{\o}rn A} and Palle Villesen and Nissen, {Kari K} and Lindegaard, {Hanne M} and Peter Rossing and Thor Petersen and Lise Tarnow and Bettina Hansen and Tove Lorenzen and Kim H{\o}rslev-Petersen and {Bisgaard Jensen}, Sara and Shervin Bahrami and Maria Lajer and Schmidt, {Kathrine L M} and Hans-Henrik Parving and Peter Junker and Laska, {Magdalena Janina}",

year = "2016",

doi = "10.1007/s12026-015-8671-z",

language = "English",

volume = "64",

pages = "55--63",

journal = "Immunologic Research",

issn = "0257-277X",

publisher = "Springer",

number = "1",

}

Nexø, BA , Villesen, P , Nissen, KK, Lindegaard, HM, Rossing, P, Petersen, T, Tarnow, L, Hansen, B, Lorenzen, T, Hørslev-Petersen, K, Bisgaard Jensen, S, Bahrami, S, Lajer, M, Schmidt, KLM, Parving, H-H, Junker, P & Laska, MJ 2016, 'Are human endogenous retroviruses triggers of autoimmune diseases? Unveiling associations of three diseases and viral loci', Immunologic Research, vol. 64, no. 1, pp. 55-63. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12026-015-8671-z

Are human endogenous retroviruses triggers of autoimmune diseases? Unveiling associations of three diseases and viral loci. / Nexø, Bjørn A ; Villesen, Palle ; Nissen, Kari K et al.
In: Immunologic Research, Vol. 64, No. 1, 2016, p. 55-63.

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Are human endogenous retroviruses triggers of autoimmune diseases?

T2 - Unveiling associations of three diseases and viral loci

AU - Nexø, Bjørn A

AU - Villesen, Palle

AU - Nissen, Kari K

AU - Lindegaard, Hanne M

AU - Rossing, Peter

AU - Petersen, Thor

AU - Tarnow, Lise

AU - Hansen, Bettina

AU - Lorenzen, Tove

AU - Hørslev-Petersen, Kim

AU - Bisgaard Jensen, Sara

AU - Bahrami, Shervin

AU - Lajer, Maria

AU - Schmidt, Kathrine L M

AU - Parving, Hans-Henrik

AU - Junker, Peter

AU - Laska, Magdalena Janina

PY - 2016

Y1 - 2016

N2 - Autoimmune diseases encompass a plethora of conditions in which the immune system attacks its own tissue, identifying them as foreign. Multiple factors are thought to contribute to the development of immune response to self, including differences in genotypes, hormonal milieu, and environmental factors. Viruses including human endogenous retroviruses have long been linked to the occurrence of autoimmunity, but never proven to be causative factors. Endogenous viruses are retroviral sequences embedded in the host germline DNA and transmitted vertically through successive generations in a Mendelian manner. In this study by means of genetic epidemiology, we have searched for the involvement of endogenous retroviruses in three selected autoimmune diseases: multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, and rheumatoid arthritis. We found that at least one human endogenous retroviral locus was associated with each of the three diseases. Although there was a significant overlap, most loci only occurred in one of the studied disease. Remarkably, within each disease, there was a statistical interaction (synergy) between two loci. Additional synergy between retroviral loci and human lymphocyte antigens is reported for multiple sclerosis. We speculate the possibility that recombinants or mixed viral particles are formed and that the resulting viruses stimulate the innate immune system, thereby initiating the autoimmune response.

AB - Autoimmune diseases encompass a plethora of conditions in which the immune system attacks its own tissue, identifying them as foreign. Multiple factors are thought to contribute to the development of immune response to self, including differences in genotypes, hormonal milieu, and environmental factors. Viruses including human endogenous retroviruses have long been linked to the occurrence of autoimmunity, but never proven to be causative factors. Endogenous viruses are retroviral sequences embedded in the host germline DNA and transmitted vertically through successive generations in a Mendelian manner. In this study by means of genetic epidemiology, we have searched for the involvement of endogenous retroviruses in three selected autoimmune diseases: multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, and rheumatoid arthritis. We found that at least one human endogenous retroviral locus was associated with each of the three diseases. Although there was a significant overlap, most loci only occurred in one of the studied disease. Remarkably, within each disease, there was a statistical interaction (synergy) between two loci. Additional synergy between retroviral loci and human lymphocyte antigens is reported for multiple sclerosis. We speculate the possibility that recombinants or mixed viral particles are formed and that the resulting viruses stimulate the innate immune system, thereby initiating the autoimmune response.

U2 - 10.1007/s12026-015-8671-z

DO - 10.1007/s12026-015-8671-z

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 26091722

SN - 0257-277X

VL - 64

SP - 55

EP - 63

JO - Immunologic Research

JF - Immunologic Research

IS - 1

ER -

Are human endogenous retroviruses triggers of autoimmune diseases? Unveiling associations of three diseases and viral loci

Abstract

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this