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 me

SUBMITTER: Nexo BA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4726719 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature