title: Heavy metals, organic solvents, and multiple sclerosis: An exploratory look at gene-environment interactions.
abstract: Exposure to heavy metals and organic solvents are potential etiologic factors for multiple sclerosis (MS), but their interaction with MS-associated genes is under-studied. The authors explored the relationship between environmental exposure to lead, mercury, and solvents and 58 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in MS-associated genes. Data from a population-based case-control study of 217 prevalent MS cases and 496 age-, race-, gender-, and geographically matched controls were used to fit conditional logistic regression models of the association between the chemical, gene, and MS, adjusting for education and ancestry. MS cases were more likely than controls to report lead (odds ratio [OR] = 2.03; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.07, 3.86) and mercury exposure (OR = 2.06; 95% CI: 1.08, 3.91). Findings of potential gene-environment interactions between SNPs in TNF-α, TNF-β, TCA-β, VDR, MBP, and APOE, and lead, mercury, or solvents should be considered cautiously due to limited sample size.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill , North Carolina , USA.
authors.forename: Melanie D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Napier
authors.affiliation: a Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill , North Carolina , USA.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Poole
authors.affiliation: b Division of Reproductive Health , Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , Atlanta , Georgia , USA.
authors.forename: Glen A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Satten
authors.affiliation: c Center for Human Disease Modeling , Duke University Medical Center , Durham , North Carolina , USA.
authors.forename: Allison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ashley-Koch
authors.affiliation: d Departments of Internal Medicine and Community Health Sciences , University of Manitoba , Winnipeg , Manitoba , Canada.
authors.forename: Ruth Ann
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Marrie
authors.affiliation: b Division of Reproductive Health , Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , Atlanta , Georgia , USA.
authors.forename: Dhelia M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Williamson
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D059647:Gene-Environment Interaction; D000075322:Heavy Metal Poisoning; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000009:adverse effects; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D011041:Poisoning; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012997:Solvents / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D012997:Solvents
keywords: Autoimmune diseases; case-control; epidemiology; gene-environment interaction; heavy metal exposure; organic solvents; multiple sclerosis