Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis is a common neurological disease whose aetiology remains unknown. It affects young individuals usually with onset in the age range of 18 to 40 years. With the exception of trauma, Multiple Sclerosis remains the most frequent cause of neurological disability for young adults. Females account for 60% of cases and the incidence of MS in Northern Europe, Canada and the Northern United States is approximately 10 new cases per 100,000 persons per year (between the ages of 20 and 50). Studies show that 15% of MS patients have an affected relative.
The Central Nervous System (CNS) in MS is affected with patches of myelin degeneration produced by multifocal inflammatory events. The disease shows variable onset and progression. There are several theories as to the cause of Multiple Sclerosis. These include environmental agents, viral infections, autoimmune reactions and genetic disturbance and predisposition. A number of in situ studies have been performed on animals models but currently there is little published data on human tissue in situ models. In situ studies with animal models have targeted various classes of genes, including class II HLA molecules, inflammatory cytokines and immunological molecules. Other studies have focused on the retroviral involvement, protein that are integral to tight junctions and free radical effects on the myelin sheath. We aim to broaden this field of knowledge with experimental data on human in situ genomic models of multiple sclerosis. If we can identify the gene expression differences in tissue, we may be able to pinpoint the genes implicated causally in the disease. Ultimately this may have important diagnostic and therapeutic benefits.