Variability of the MIR196A2 Gene as a Risk Factor in Primary-Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Development

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease of the central nervous system, combining in its pathogenesis both autoimmune and neurodegenerative components, and is characterized by a highly heterogeneous clinical phenotype. Genetic susceptibility to the development of the most common relapsing-remitting course of the disease is extensively studied, while the genetic architecture of the aggressive primary progressive course of multiple sclerosis remains poorly understood. We analyzed the association of polymorphic variants in miRNA genes MIR146A, MIR196A2, and MIR499A with the risk of primary progressive multiple sclerosis one by one and in biallelic combinations with variants of immune-related genes; the analysis was performed in comparison with healthy individuals and with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients. The allele MIR196A2*C was useful in discriminating between two main courses of multiple sclerosis, one by one and in combination with alleles of the IFNAR2, IL7RA, IL6, PVT1, CD86, CCL5, and PSMB9 genes. The data presented in the current work may be used for the construction of a biomarker panel, to differentiate primary progressive and relapsing-remitting courses of multiple sclerosis on the initial stages of the disease.