COMBINED EFFECT OF HLA-DRB1-ASTERISK-1501 AND INTERLEUKIN-1 RECEPTOR ANTAGONIST GENE ALLELE-2 IN SUSCEPTIBILITY TO RELAPSING REMITTING MULTIPLE-SCLEROSIS/

Susceptibility to multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with HLA-DRB1 1501. Many reports have suggested associations with other loci bur the se results remain unconfirmed. We studied the IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) gene polymorphism and the HLA-DR and DQ allele frequencies b y DNA-based methods in both the primary chronic progressive form (PP M S) and the relapsing/remitting form (R/R MS). The frequency of DRB115 01 and IL-1ra allele 2 were significantly higher in R/R MS. Associatio n was more marked in the female sex and in patients with benign forms of R/R MS. On the other hand DR4 subtypes carrying a Val at position 8 6 in the DR beta chain were increased in PP MS. The present study indi cates that RIS is genetically heterogeneous and shows a combined effec t of HLA-DR and IL-1ra genes in susceptibility to the R/R form of the disease. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.