title: High-resolution analysis of IL-6 minisatellite polymorphism in Sardinian multiple sclerosis: effect on course and onset of disease.
abstract: A minisatellite polymorphism located in the 3' flanking region of the interleukin-6 (IL-6) gene was analysed in 192 Sardinian simplex families with multiple sclerosis (MS). By applying a high-resolution sizing approach, 9 alleles were identified. None of these were associated with in globo susceptibility to MS as shown by transmission disequilibrium testing. Analysis of clinically different groups showed that the A5 allele was associated with a benign (P = 0.007) but not with a malignant (P = 0.45) course of disease. In particular, the frequency of the A5/A5 genotype was significantly higher in patients with benign MS (P = 0.002). In addition, carriage of any of the larger alleles (A6-->A9) was associated with accelerated onset of disease (P = 0.025). Our results suggest that allelic variations in the IL-6 gene may predispose to alterations in the course and initial onset of MS.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, The Queen's University of Belfast, Northern Ireland. k.vandenbroeck@qub.ac.uk
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vandenbroeck
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fiten
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ronsse
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goris
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Porru
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Melis
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rolesu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Billiau
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Marrosu
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Opdenakker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000483:Alleles; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000235:genetics*; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6