CD46 expression and HHV-6 infection in patients with multiple sclerosis.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the possible association between the levels of the CD46 expression, and the presence and viral load of HHV-6 in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). METHODS: We collected blood and serum samples of 103 patients with MS and the same number of healthy blood donors (HBD); total DNA and RNA was extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and serum, and then analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR for the detection of CD46 transcripts and HHV-6 genomes; the expression of rRNA18s was used for the calculation of the relative expression of CD46. RESULTS: Almost 80% of patients with MS had increased levels of CD46 in comparison with HBD, and a positive correlation was also found between the over-expression of CD46 in patients with MS and the HHV-6 DNA prevalence and viral load in the blood and serum. DISCUSSION: Therefore, the up-regulation of CD46 expression in patients with MS with HHV-6 infection could constitute an immunopathogenic factor that should be further investigated to elucidate its role in MS.