HLA-DRB1 15:01 and Epstein-Barr virus in a multiple sclerosis patient with psoriasis, nasopharyngeal and breast cancers. Lessons for possible hidden links for autoimmunity and cancer.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients have a low general cancer risk and cases of neoplastic comorbidity are attributed by many researchers in chance, or therapeutical side-effects. Human leucocyte antigen (HLA) class II allele DRB1 15:01 is considered the main genetic factor independently associated with increased susceptibility for MS in Caucasians. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has also been proven to be a core triggering factor in MS initiation and progress, mainly in HLA-DRB1 15:01 positive MS patients.

Biochemical characterization of four new erythrocyte pyruvate kinase variants.

Pyruvate kinase (PK) from four patients with moderate to severe congenital non-spherocytic haemolytic anaemia was characterized by methods recommended by the ICSH. The possibility that two of the patients are true homozygotes cannot be ruled out, while the other two apparently represent double heterozygotes. All but one had levels of PK activity between 44 and 65% of normal.