Research: Another Susceptibility Locus


Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is the most common progressive and disabling neurological condition affecting young adults in the world today. From a genetic point of view, MS is a complex disorder resulting from the combination of genetic and non-genetic factors. We aimed to identify previously unidentified loci conducting a new Genome-wide association study (GWAS) of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in a sample of 296 MS cases and 801 controls from the Spanish population. Meta-analysis of our data in combination with previous GWAS was done. A total of 17 GWAS-significant single nucleotide polymorphisms corresponding to three different loci were identified:HLA (human leucocyte antigen=transplantation antigen), IL2RA (interleukin 2 receptor) , and 5p13.1 (Identify of gene at this location is unknown). All three have been previously reported as GWAS-significant. We confirmed our observation in 5p13.1 for rs9292777 using two additional independent Spanish samples to make a total of 4912 MS cases and 7498 controls (ORpooled = 0.84; 95%CI: 0.80-0.89; p = 1.36×10-9). This SNP differs from the one reported within this locus in a recent GWAS. Although it is unclear whether both signals are tapping the same genetic association, it seems clear that this locus plays an important role in the pathogenesis of MS.


There are no over 50 non-HLA gnes that have been linked to susceptibility to MS. What does 5p13.1 mean?. It is just a location


Chromosome which carry the genetic information  have one long arm called q and a short arm called p. So this gene is located on chromosome 5, the p arm. The chromosomes have banding on them which is called cytogentics and the gene is in band 13.1. Now all they need to do is find the gene and see what it does

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