Genetics research and MS
Genetics is the study of our genes and how they might be linked to conditions like MS. We've learned a lot about how genes might influence the risk of developing MS in recent years.
About genetics and MS
Genes are instructions for our bodies, a code passed on from our parents that influences characteristics like our height and hair colour. Each of us has a complete set of around 20,000 genes. We have two copies of each gene, one inherited from each of our parents.
Genes can also affect our chances of developing certain health conditions, including MS. But genes are only part of the story.
There’s no single gene that will definitely cause someone to develop MS. But so far we’ve discovered over 200 genes that are linked to MS. These could affect the chances of getting MS and how it might develop over time.
Having certain versions of particular genes makes can increase someone’s chances of getting MS. But most people with these genes won’t develop MS. And it’s not passed on directly from parents to children.
Environmental and lifestyle factors (like infections, low levels of vitamin D and smoking) also play a role in developing MS.
Researchers are working hard to understand how genes and environmental factors interact to cause MS. We can use this to design strategies that reduce the risk of developing MS.
Read more about the causes of MS
What can we learn from genetics research in MS?
Studying the genes linked to MS can help us to understand why certain people are more likely to develop MS.
We can use this information to design strategies that reduce the risk of developing MS. We can also learn more about how MS develops, by investigating what each gene does. We can use this knowledge to develop new treatments for MS. This type of approach has been successfully used in diabetes, where a potential treatment was developed to target a gene linked to the condition.
Latest genetics research for MS
So far we’ve discovered over 200 genes that are linked to MS. Many of these genes play a role in the immune system, and some have already been linked to other autoimmune conditions like Crohn’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis.
Interestingly, some of the genes have been linked to vitamin D. In 2015, researchers identified four genes that were linked to vitamin D levels. They found that people who carried these genes (and therefore had lower vitamin D levels) were more likely to develop MS.
In 2009, our researchers showed that a gene linked to MS can respond to vitamin D. Researchers found that when levels of vitamin D increased, the gene was more active. This ground breaking research could help us understand more about the role vitamin D plays in developing MS.
Read more about vitamin D and MS
In 2016 a genetics study revealed a link between body mass index (BMI) and MS. Researchers found that people who are genetically predisposed to having a higher BMI are more likely to develop MS. This supports previous research that's linked obesity with a higher risk of developing MS.
In 2023, researchers discovered a variation in a small portion of DNA in some people with MS, which is associated with faster progression of MS.
Read more on the research into DNA and MS
Our genetics research
We're funding a number of projects to understand how genes play a role in MS. These include:
Genes in people from different ancestral backgrounds and MS
We're funding research to look at the genes of people with MS from non-European ancestries, so that we can get a better understanding of MS risk factors.
By finding genes that might increase the risk of MS in people from diverse ancestral backgrounds, it will help researchers to better understand the condition. It could lead to better treatments, and more personalised care for people with MS, especially those from non-European ancestries.
Results published from the study in 2024 suggest that Black and South Asian people with MS in the UK don’t have a higher risk of severe MS.
Pregnancy, genes and MS
Many women with MS experience fewer relapses during pregnancy. We don't know exactly why, but it suggests that in pregnancy, women’s bodies are able to suppress MS to some extent. If we can understand how this happens, it could lead to more targeted, better treatments for people living with MS.
Professor Ruth Dobson is investigating whether changes in DNA during pregnancy could be reducing relapses. The team will study blood samples from the same people during and after pregnancy, and compare them to people with MS of a similar age who aren't pregnant. So they’ll be able to see what the temporary or permanent changes to DNA might be during pregnancy.
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