A genome-wide screen for linkage disequilibrium in Australian HLA-DRB1*1501 positive multiple sclerosis patients

The association of multiple sclerosis with alleles/haplotypes from the HLA region on chromosome 6p21 is well established although the remainder of the genome remains relatively unexplored. We have completed a genome-wide screen for linkage disequilibrium in a cohort of Australian multiple sclerosis patients positive for HLA-DRB1*1501. A total of 4346 microsatellite markers provided through the "Genetic Analysis of Multiple sclerosis in EuropeanS" (GAMES) collaborative were analysed in DNA separately pooled from cases (n=217) and controls (n=187). Associations were found in four genomic regions (12q15, 16p13, 18p11 and 19q13) previously identified in linkage genome screens. Three additional regions of novel association were also identified (11q12, 11q23 and 14q21). Further analysis of these regions is required to establish whether the associations observed are due to epistatic interaction with the HLA locus.