Is multiple sclerosis severity a genetically influenced trait?

NRAMP1 (SLC11A1) variants: genetic susceptibility to multiple Sclerosis

OBJECTIVES

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory, autoimmune demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. Human Natural Resistance Associated Macrophage Protein 1 (NRAMP1) gene polymorphisms have been implicated in the immune mediated diseases susceptibility. This study aimed to investigate the plausible association between NRAMP1 gene and MS susceptibility.

METHODS

We analyzed (GT)(n,) INT4, 3'UTR and D543N polymorphisms of NRAMP1 gene in 100 MS patients and 104 healthy subjects by using amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction and sequence analysis.

RESULTS

No significant association was found between (GT)(n,) INT4, 3'UTR and D543N polymorphisms and MS. There was also no correlation between NRAMP1 polymorphisms and MS clinical forms.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that NRAMP1 polymorphisms do not play a role in MS susceptibility and clinical finding of MS in Turkish patients.

HLA-DR 15 is associated with female sex and younger age at diagnosis in multiple sclerosis

BACKGROUND

The association between multiple sclerosis and class II alleles of the major histocompatibility complex, in particular the DRB1*1501-DQB1*0602 haplotype, is well established but their role in determining specific features of this clinically heterogeneous disease is unknown as few studies involving large sample sizes have been performed.

METHODS

729 patients with multiple sclerosis were typed for the HLA DR15 phenotype. All patients underwent clinical assessment and a detailed evaluation of their clinical records was undertaken.

RESULTS

The presence of DR15 was associated with younger age at diagnosis and female sex but there was no association with disease course (relapsing-remitting or secondary progressive v primary progressive type), disease outcome, specific clinical features (opticospinal v disseminated form), diagnostic certainty (clinically and laboratory supported definite v clinically probable multiple sclerosis), and paraclinical investigations including the presence of oligoclonal bands in the CSF or characteristic abnormalities on MRI imaging of the central nervous system.

CONCLUSION

Even though DR15 carriers are more likely to be female and prone to an earlier disease onset, the results indicate that there is no association with other specific clinical outcomes or laboratory indices examined here. This suggests that DR15 exerts a susceptibility rather than disease modifying effect in multiple sclerosis.