Discovery of MS-linked genes may lead to new treatment
Almost everyone knows someone affected by Multiple Sclerosis.
So it should come as good news that scientists have identified two gene variants linked with MS, the first such a discovery in 20 years. Both genes are involved in controlling the activity of a class of cells within the immune system known as regulatory T-cells.
“We have identified a gene that increases an individual’s risk of multiple sclerosis by 30 per cent, and that this variant has an effect on the function of the gene. It is likely that variants of many genes are associated with the development of multiple sclerosis, so identifying a novel gene that is associated will be very helpful in understanding this complex disease,” said Simon Gregory, a molecular geneticist at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.