29 New Genetic Variants Found Associated with Multiple Sclerosis

Researchers have identified 29 new genetic variants implicated in susceptibility to multiple sclerosis.

Researchers have identified 29 new genetic variants implicated in susceptibility to multiple sclerosis (MS). The International Multiple Sclerosis Genetics Consortium and the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium carried out what they claim is the largest ever genome-wide association study (GWAS) for MS.

Their results confirmed 23 previously reported genetic associations and suggested that many of the newly identified risk-related genes are immune system-related and in particular implicate T-helper cell differentiation in the pathogenesis of MS.

The GWAS evaluated genetic data from 9,772 cross-population MS patients and 17,376 controls and including 465,434 autosomal SNPs. Of these, 102 were verified using data from previously reported MS GWAS results and the iControl database. F