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.

Low frequency of the disease-associated DRB1*15-DQB1*06 haplotype may contribute to the low prevalence of multiple sclerosis in Sami.

Harbo HF, Utsi E, Lorentzen AR, Kampman MT, Celius EG, Myhr KM, Lie BA, Mellgren SI, Thorsby E

Institute of Immunology, Faculty Division Rikshospitalet, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. h.f.harbo@medisin.uio.no

This study confirms a low frequency of multiple sclerosis (MS) among Sami. Only 12 Sami with a diagnosis of MS were identified in the Norwegian Sami population, which represents a significantly lower prevalence of MS in Sami (30/10(5)) compared with other Norwegians (73-164/10(5)). The clinical characteristics as well as the results of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DRB1 and -DQB1 typing of the Sami MS patients are reported, showing that three (27%) of the Sami MS patients carried the MS-associated HLA-DRB1*15-DQB1*06 haplotype. Interestingly, the DRB1*15-DQB1*06 haplotype had a significantly reduced frequency among Sami controls (0.086) compared with non-Sami Norwegian controls (0.163) (P(corrected) = 0.015). The low frequency of the disease-associated DRB1*15-DQB1*06 haplotype in the Sami population may contribute to the low prevalence of MS in Sami, in addition to other yet unidentified genetic and environmental factors.

Published 28 March 2007 in Tissue Antigens, 69(4): 299-304.
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