NRAMP1 (SLC11A1) Variants: Genetic Susceptibility to Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory, autoimmune demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. Human Natural Resistance Associated Macrophage Protein 1 (NRAMP1) gene polymorphisms have been implicated in the immune mediated diseases susceptibility. This study aimed to investigate the plausible association between NRAMP1 gene and MS susceptibility. We analyzed (GT)(n,) INT4, 3'UTR and D543N polymorphisms of NRAMP1 gene in 100 MS patients and 104 healthy subjects by using amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction and sequence analysis. No significant association was found between (GT)(n,) INT4, 3'UTR and D543N polymorphisms and MS. There was also no correlation between NRAMP1 polymorphisms and MS clinical forms. Our findings suggest that NRAMP1 polymorphisms do not play a role in MS susceptibility and clinical finding of MS in Turkish patients.