title: Genetic predisposition to multiple sclerosis as revealed by immunoprinting.
abstract: This study was designed to examine the immunogenetic background predisposing to multiple sclerosis (MS). Three hundred fifty-eight clinically well-characterized MS patients from Germany were investigated and compared to 395 healthy control subjects. Each individual was genotyped for 22 polymorphic markers located within or close to immunorelevant candidate genes including HLA-DRB1*, T-cell receptor (TCR), cell interaction molecules, cytokines, and cytokine receptor genes. Altogether, approximately 17,000 genetic analyses were performed. Patients were grouped according to the course of MS-relapsing-remitting or chronic progressive. Most of the genetic markers were not associated with increased risk or their exact contribution was not clear (e.g., tumor necrosis factor). The relative risks for HLA-DRB1*15+ and DRB1*03+ individuals were 3.64 and 1.42, respectively. In both groups of patients, certain TCRB gene polymorphisms were risk factors. In DRB1*03+ individuals the relative risk was increased (> 22) when a specific TCRBV6S3 allele was also inherited. Furthermore, distinct linkage disequilibria of TCRBV6S1/TCRBV6S3 elements in patients and control subjects strongly suggested an additional risk factor in the TCRBV region for DRB1*15+ individuals. These findings are discussed with respect to the pathogenesis and rational approaches to the therapy of MS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Human Genetics, St. Josef Hospital, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Epplen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jäckel
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: D'Souza
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Poehlau
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dotzauer
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sindern
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haupts
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Rüde
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stöver
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Poser
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gehler
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Malin
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Przuntek
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Epplen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D002648:Child; D016207:Cytokines / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D005819:Genetic Markers; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D010641:Phenotype; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D018121:Receptors, Cytokine / Q000235:genetics; D012307:Risk Factors; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006680:HLA Antigens; D018121:Receptors, Cytokine