Male microchimerism in peripheral blood from women with multiple sclerosis in Isfahan Province

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is referred to as an organ-specific T-cell-mediated autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Different genetic and environmental factors increase the risk of developing MS. In recent years, microchimerism (Mc) has been widely studied in autoimmune diseases, although the exact role of this phenomenon in human health is not known well. Microchimerism is the low level presence of DNA or cells from one individual into the tissue or circulation of another individual. In the current study, we evaluated the association of fetal microchimerism (FMc) with MS in Isfahan province. In this study, we enrolled 68 women in four groups. Two groups were MS patients with or without a pregnancy for a son, and the other two groups were MS-negative patients with or without a pregnancy for a son. The presence of the male genome assessed and compared in these groups. Four millilitres of peripheral blood were collected from all subjects in the tube containing EDTA and DNA was extracted. Real-time PCR assay was used for the DAZ (deleted in azoospermia) region Yq 11.23 as a marker for male microchimerism in all subjects. Our results showed that the percentage of DAZ (male genome)-positive women was significantly higher in MS-positive women given birth to a son in comparison with the other three groups. Our results also revealed no significant correlation between the percentage of DAZ-positive women and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score and age of onset in the patients' group. For future studies, we suggest enrolling subjects who MS diagnosis occurred before and after pregnancy with a son. Comparing FMc in these two groups might provide a better understanding of the possible role of FMc in later development of MS.