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J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2000;68:679 doi:10.1136/jnnp.68.5.679
  • Letters to the editor

No evidence for the involvement of interleukin 2 or the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene cluster in determining genetic susceptibility to multiple sclerosis

  1. ROBERT FEAKES,
  2. STEPHEN SAWCER,
  3. BELINDA SMILLIE,
  4. JEREMY CHATAWAY,
  5. SIMON BROADLEY,
  6. ALASTAIR COMPSTON
  1. University of Cambridge Neurology unit, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 2QQ, UK
  2. MRC Biostatistics Unit, Institute of Public Health, University Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 2SR, UK
  3. ED Adrian Building, University Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 2SR, UK
  1. Professor Alastair Compstonalastair.compston{at}medschl.cam.ac.uk
  1. DAVID CLAYTON
  1. University of Cambridge Neurology unit, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 2QQ, UK
  2. MRC Biostatistics Unit, Institute of Public Health, University Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 2SR, UK
  3. ED Adrian Building, University Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 2SR, UK
  1. Professor Alastair Compstonalastair.compston{at}medschl.cam.ac.uk
  1. ALASTAIR COMPSTON
  1. University of Cambridge Neurology unit, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 2QQ, UK
  2. MRC Biostatistics Unit, Institute of Public Health, University Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 2SR, UK
  3. ED Adrian Building, University Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 2SR, UK
  1. Professor Alastair Compstonalastair.compston{at}medschl.cam.ac.uk

    Here we report the investigation of two promising candidate multiple sclerosis susceptibility genes. Each is biologically plausible, having a function suggesting possible involvement in the pathogenesis of the disease and positional, having existing linkage evidence supporting its candidature. The two differ, however, in the origin of the supporting linkage evidence. This comes mainly from the analysis of animal models in the case of interleukin 2 (IL-2)1 and from human studies in the case of the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene cluster.2

    Interleukin 2 is a cytokine intimately involved with both the function and regulation of the immune system. It has both proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory actions, promoting T cell proliferation during cell mediated immune responses and, conversely, being crucial both for the …

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