AN INVESTIGATION OF HLA-ENCODED GENETIC SUSCEPTIBILITY TO MULTIPLE-SCLEROSIS IN SUBJECTS OF ASIAN INDIAN AND AFRO-CARIBBEAN ETHNIC-ORIGIN

The association of multiple sclerosis (MS) with the HLA class II loci DR and DQ was investigated in populations of Asian Indian and Afro-Car ibbean ethnic origin, resident in the United Kingdom. The putative hap lotype, DRB11501.DQA1*0102.DQB1*0602, was weakly positively associate d with MS in both races. The overall contribution to disease susceptib ility of this marker was small. Over 80% of the MS patients in both ra cial groups did not possess this haplotype. The data suggest that othe r genetic and/or environmental factors may be more important in predis posing to MS in these two races. Our study also raises the possibility that genetically distinct forms of the disease may be expressed in wh ite Caucasian and non-Caucasian populations.