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Shared Genetic Effects and Antagonistic Pleiotropy Between Multiple Sclerosis and Common Cancers
Asli Buyukkurt1,2, Marius Ygonia3, Ali Manouchehrinia4
1The Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital), Montréal, Quebec, Canada.
Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology
|January 16, 2026
Summary
This study found no causal link between multiple sclerosis (MS) and cancer risk. However, shared genetic factors were identified, suggesting immune regulation may influence both MS and cancer susceptibility.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Epidemiology
- Immunology
Background:
- Epidemiologic studies show inconsistent cancer risk alterations in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.
- Factors like immune dysregulation, comorbidities, and therapies may explain variability.
- This research investigates potential causal effects and shared genetic risks between MS and 12 common cancers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the potential causal effects of genetic liability to MS on cancer risk.
- To identify shared genetic loci between MS and 12 common cancers.
- To explore biological mechanisms linking MS and cancer risk.
Main Methods:
- Utilized large-scale genetic studies for MS (47,429 cases, 68,374 controls) and 12 cancers (85,716–417,127 participants).
- Performed two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) to estimate causal effects.
- Conducted colocalization, tissue enrichment, and directionality analyses to identify shared genetic mechanisms.
Main Results:
- MR analyses revealed no evidence of a causal effect of MS liability on cancer risk.
- Colocalization analysis identified 12 MS-cancer pairs across nine loci, suggesting shared genetic mechanisms in six cancers.
- Antagonistic pleiotropy was observed in 10 pairs, where genetic variants influenced MS and cancer risk in opposite directions, e.g., BACH2 locus variants.
Conclusions:
- No causal relationship was found between MS liability and cancer risk.
- Shared genetic effects highlight potential biological links between immune regulation in MS and cancer development.
- Antagonistic pleiotropy observed suggests complex genetic interactions influencing both MS and cancer susceptibility.
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