Infectious mononucleosis-linked HLA class I single nucleotide polymorphism is associated with multiple sclerosis.
BACKGROUND
Multiple sclerosis is a presumed autoimmune disease associated with genetic and environmental risk factors such as infectious mononucleosis. Recent research has shown infectious mononucleosis to be associated with a specific HLA class I polymorphism.


OBJECTIVE
Our aim was to test if the infectious mononucleosis-linked HLA class I single nucleotide polymorphism (rs6457110) is also associated with multiple sclerosis.


METHODS
Genotyping of the HLA-A single nucleotide polymorphism rs6457110 using TaqMan was performed in 591 multiple sclerosis cases and 600 controls. The association of multiple sclerosis with the HLA-A single nucleotide polymorphism was tested using logistic regression adjusted for age, sex and HLA-DRB1*1501.


RESULTS
HLA-A minor allele (A) is associated with multiple sclerosis (OR = 0.68; p = 4.08 × 10( -5)). After stratification for HLA-DRB1*1501 risk allele (T) carrier we showed a significant OR of 0.70 (p = 0.003) for HLA-A.


CONCLUSIONS
HLA class I single nucleotide polymorphism rs6457110 is associated with infectious mononucleosis and multiple sclerosis, independent of the major class II allele, supporting the hypothesis that shared genetics may contribute to the association between infectious mononucleosis and multiple sclerosis.
Jafari
Naghmeh
N
Department of Neurology, ErasMS Centre, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Broer
Linda
L
Hoppenbrouwers
Ilse A
IA
van Duijn
Cornelia M
CM
Hintzen
Rogier Q
RQ
D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D015234:HLA-A Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; D006801:Humans; D007244:Infectious Mononucleosis / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
D015234:HLA-A Antigens; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; C489631:HLA-DRB1*15:01 antigen