Multiple Sclerosis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Multiple Sclerosis, including details on diagnosis, symptoms, treatment, prognosis.

Lack of association with the CD28/CTLA4/ICOS gene region among Norwegian multiple sclerosis patients.

Lorentzen AR, Celius EG, Ekstrøm PO, Wiencke K, Lie BA, Myhr KM, Ling V, Thorsby E, Vartdal F, Spurkland A, Harbo HF

Institute of Immunology, University of Oslo and Rikshospitalet University Hospital, 00207 Oslo, Norway. a.r.lorentzen@studmed.uio.no

Chromosome region 2q33 encodes several regulators of the immune system, among these the CD28, CTLA4, and ICOS molecules. Involvement of these genes in multiple sclerosis (MS) is not yet clear. We investigated six microsatellites and three SNPs in a relatively large and clinically well characterised Norwegian MS cohort. No associations were observed for any of the markers analysed in 575 MS patients and 551 controls. Associations were neither found when stratifying the material for the HLA-DRB1*1501, DQB1*0602 haplotype, gender, age at onset, disease course nor familial aggregation. In conclusion, this study could not confirm association with the CD28/CTLA4/ICOS gene region.

Published 2 August 2005 in J Neuroimmunol, 166(1): 197-201.
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