Abstract
Aim—To investigate the role of myelin basic protein (MBP) gene polymorphisms in determining susceptibility to multiple sclerosis in a Shanghai Chinese population.
Methods—Forty seven unrelated patients with multiple sclerosis and 94 healthy control subjects were included in the study. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood lymphocytes and amplified using the polymerase chain reaction to characterise two adjacent tetranucleotide repeats ([ATGG]12 and [TGGA]9) located 5′ to exon 1 of the MBP gene.
Results—Two polymorphic loci were identified: locus A, comprising both repeats, and locus B, comprising the [ATGG]12 repeat only. Nine allelic variants were identified at locus A and six at locus B, ranging from 212 to 244 and 122 to 146 base pairs, respectively. The 244 base pair allele at locus A has not been reported before. The allele frequencies observed in the controls differed from those seen in normal white populations.
Conclusions—The present study demonstrates a race specific pattern of allelic distribution within the tetranucleotide repeat of the MBP gene. Further studies are needed to fully elucidate the role of the MBP gene in inherited susceptibility to multiple sclerosis.
Keywords: Multiple sclerosis
Keywords: Shanghai Chinese
Keywords: myelin basic protein gene
Keywords: polymorphism
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Boylan K. B., Takahashi N., Paty D. W., Sadovnick A. D., Diamond M., Hood L. E., Prusiner S. B. DNA length polymorphism 5' to the myelin basic protein gene is associated with multiple sclerosis. Ann Neurol. 1990 Mar;27(3):291–297. doi: 10.1002/ana.410270311. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Graham C. A., Kirk C. W., Nevin N. C., Droogan A. G., Hawkins S. A., McMillan S. A., McNeill T. A. Lack of association between myelin basic protein gene microsatellite and multiple sclerosis. Lancet. 1993 Jun 19;341(8860):1596–1596. doi: 10.1016/0140-6736(93)90734-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hawkins B. R., Yu Y. L., Woo E., Huang C. Y. No apparent association between HLA and multiple sclerosis in southern Chinese. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1988 Mar;51(3):443–445. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.51.3.443. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Ho H. Z., Tiwari J. L., Haile R. W., Terasaki P. I., Morton N. E. HLA-linked and unlinked determinants of multiple sclerosis. Immunogenetics. 1982;15(5):509–517. doi: 10.1007/BF00345910. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Pettinelli C. B., McFarlin D. E. Adoptive transfer of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis in SJL/J mice after in vitro activation of lymph node cells by myelin basic protein: requirement for Lyt 1+ 2- T lymphocytes. J Immunol. 1981 Oct;127(4):1420–1423. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Polymeropoulos M. H., Xiao H., Merril C. R. Tetranucleotide repeat polymorphism at the human myelin basic protein gene (MBP). Hum Mol Genet. 1992 Nov;1(8):658–658. doi: 10.1093/hmg/1.8.658. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Rose J., Gerken S., Lynch S., Pisani P., Varvil T., Otterud B., Leppert M. Genetic susceptibility in familial multiple sclerosis not linked to the myelin basic protein gene. Lancet. 1993 May 8;341(8854):1179–1181. doi: 10.1016/0140-6736(93)91003-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Tienari P. J., Wikström J., Sajantila A., Palo J., Peltonen L. Genetic susceptibility to multiple sclerosis linked to myelin basic protein gene. Lancet. 1992 Oct 24;340(8826):987–991. doi: 10.1016/0140-6736(92)93007-a. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Wood N. W., Holmans P., Clayton D., Robertson N., Compston D. A. No linkage or association between multiple sclerosis and the myelin basic protein gene in affected sibling pairs. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1994 Oct;57(10):1191–1194. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.57.10.1191. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]