Ecotropic Viral Integration Site 5 (EVI5) expression analysis in multiple sclerosis patients.

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex immune-related disorder of the central nervous system (CNS) in which dysregulation of different classes of T cells are involved. Variants in Ecotropic Viral Integration Site 5 (EVI5) gene has been shown to be significantly associated with MS in different populations.

OBJECTIVES: However, there is no data regarding relative expression of this gene in peripheral blood of MS patients compared with healthy controls.

METHODS: In the present study we assessed expression of EVI5 in 50 Iranian MS patients compared with healthy subjects by means of quantitative real time RT-PCR.

RESULTS: Statistical analyses showed no significant difference in EVI5 relative expression neither between total MS patients and healthy controls nor between age- and sex-based subgroups of patients and controls except for a trend toward significance in patients aged between 30 and 40 years compared with healthy subjects in both sexes (P= 0.068 and 0.075 for males and females respectively). No significant correlation was found between the expression level of this gene and disease duration, age at onset or Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS).

CONCLUSION: Future studies are needed to explore the role of EVI5 in the pathogenesis of MS.