You have heard that Prof Gold from Down Under has a hunch that endogenous retrovirus may be part of MS susceptibility equation. Based on some animal studies the number of copies of endogenous viral particles can influence the degree of autoimmunity. However there was no evidence that there were multiple copies of HERV in MSers although women may have more than men because some of the endogenous virus is on the X chromosome (women = XX, man =XY). Does this change the situation with regard to a role for HERV in MS susceptibility? Well No?
Maybe the Prof Gs will give update on progress with Charcot Project Soon.