Association between microchimerism and multiple sclerosis in Canadian twins

J Neuroimmunol. 2006 Oct;179(1-2):145-51. doi: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2006.06.011. Epub 2006 Jul 14.

Abstract

Microchimerism, the persistence of foreign cells thought to derive from previous pregnancies, has been associated with autoimmune diseases. A maternal parent-of-origin effect in MS remains unexplained. We tested for microchimerism in monozygotic and dizygotic twin-pairs with MS. Microchimerism was associated with MS in affected females from monozygotic concordant pairs when compared to both affected (p=0.020) and unaffected (p=0.025) females in monozygotic discordant pairs. Microchimerism was increased in affected females of dizygotic discordant pairs (p=0.059). The rate of microchimerism was significantly higher in affected twins than in unaffected co-twins (p=0.0059). These observations show an association in twins between the presence of microchimerism and having MS.

Publication types

  • Twin Study

MeSH terms

  • Canada
  • Chimerism*
  • Diseases in Twins*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Multiple Sclerosis / genetics*
  • Pedigree
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Twins, Dizygotic / genetics*
  • Twins, Monozygotic / genetics*