German researchers have reported identifying four new genes linked to multiple sclerosis.
The findings come from a study centred entirely on the German population.
Researchers compared some 5,000 patients and more than 10,000 healthy people.
The researchers say the genes they have identified are important for regulating the immune system – and are linked to epigenetic mechanisms.
The findings, from the Technical University of Munich and the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, have been reported in Science Advances.
They also confirmed another 12 genes previously linked to the disease.
Researcher Professor Bertram Müller-Myhsok said: "Because the hereditary component in developing MS is limited, environmental factors strongly contribute to the disease. They can influence the activity of MS-relevant genes via epigenetic mechanisms.
"We have now discovered indicators for regulation of methylation being a potential interface where genetic and environmental MS risk factors interact."
T.F.M. Andlauer et al. Novel multiple sclerosis susceptibility loci implicated in epigenetic regulation Science Advances 2017 June 2016; doi: 10.1126/sciadv.1501678
Leave a Reply