Mycobacterium aviumsubsp.paratuberculosis(MAP) infection is highly spread in the ruminant herds of Sardinia, in the Western Mediterranean. The objective of this study was to investigate prevalence of MAP infection in association with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) using clinical specimen from patients and controls. We analyzed samples for the presence of MAP specific DNA and to demonstrate humoral response to a MAP protein (MAP2694), a predicted homologue of the T-cell receptor gamma-chain/complement component 1 of the host. We found presence of MAP DNA in 42% of the MS patients and an extremely significant humoral immune response revealed by the MS patients against the MAP protein. In our opinion, this is the first report that significantly associates MAP infection with MS. Further studies will be required to confirm if MAP could be one of the triggers of MS, according to the molecular mimicry theory, in susceptible (and genetically at risk) individuals.

Association ofMycobacterium aviumsubsp.paratuberculosiswith multiple sclerosis in Sardinian patients / Cocco, Eleonora; Ahmed, Niyaz; Frau, Jessica; Sechi, Leonardo Antonio; Cossu, Davide; Masala, Speranza; Marrosu, Maria Giovanna; Paccagnini, Daniela. - In: PLOS ONE. - ISSN 1932-6203. - 6:4(2011). [10.1371/journal.pone.0018482]

Association ofMycobacterium aviumsubsp.paratuberculosiswith multiple sclerosis in Sardinian patients

Cocco, Eleonora;Sechi, Leonardo Antonio;Cossu, Davide;Paccagnini, Daniela
2011-01-01

Abstract

Mycobacterium aviumsubsp.paratuberculosis(MAP) infection is highly spread in the ruminant herds of Sardinia, in the Western Mediterranean. The objective of this study was to investigate prevalence of MAP infection in association with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) using clinical specimen from patients and controls. We analyzed samples for the presence of MAP specific DNA and to demonstrate humoral response to a MAP protein (MAP2694), a predicted homologue of the T-cell receptor gamma-chain/complement component 1 of the host. We found presence of MAP DNA in 42% of the MS patients and an extremely significant humoral immune response revealed by the MS patients against the MAP protein. In our opinion, this is the first report that significantly associates MAP infection with MS. Further studies will be required to confirm if MAP could be one of the triggers of MS, according to the molecular mimicry theory, in susceptible (and genetically at risk) individuals.
2011
Association ofMycobacterium aviumsubsp.paratuberculosiswith multiple sclerosis in Sardinian patients / Cocco, Eleonora; Ahmed, Niyaz; Frau, Jessica; Sechi, Leonardo Antonio; Cossu, Davide; Masala, Speranza; Marrosu, Maria Giovanna; Paccagnini, Daniela. - In: PLOS ONE. - ISSN 1932-6203. - 6:4(2011). [10.1371/journal.pone.0018482]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11388/261736
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