RAGE Gene Polymorphisms in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

• Published in: Journal of molecular neuroscience 2009-11, Vol.39 (3), p.360-365
• Main Authors: Tiszlavicz, Zoltán, Gyulai, Zsofia, Bencsik, Krisztina, Szolnoki, Zoltán, Kocsis, Ágnes Katalin, Somogyvári, Ferenc, Vécsei, László, Mándi, Yvette
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cell Biology; Central Nervous System - metabolism; Central Nervous System - physiopathology; DNA Mutational Analysis; Female; Gene Frequency - genetics; Genetic Markers - genetics; Genetic Predisposition to Disease - genetics; Genetic Testing; Genetic Variation - genetics; Genetics; Genotype; Homozygote; Humans; Male; Medical research; Middle Aged; Multiple sclerosis; Multiple Sclerosis - genetics; Multiple Sclerosis - metabolism; Multiple Sclerosis - physiopathology; Nerve Growth Factors - genetics; Neurochemistry; Neurology; Neurosciences; Polymorphism, Genetic - genetics; Protein Binding - genetics; Proteomics; Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products - genetics; S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit; S100 Proteins - genetics
• ISSN: 0895-8696; 1559-1166
• DOI: 10.1007/s12031-009-9291-7

The pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS), a devastating neuroinflammatory disorder of the central nervous system, has been presumed to involve the possible importance of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE). The aim of this study was to investigate the relevance of the genetic polymorphisms of RAGE in MS patients. A total of 168 patients with MS were enrolled; 136 healthy blood donors served as controls. The −374 T/A, −479 T/C, and the G82S polymorphisms of RAGE were determined by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). There was a significant difference in RAGE −374 T/A genotype distribution between the controls and the MS patients. The AA homozygote variants were detected in 8% of the patients with MS, as compared with 19% of healthy controls (OR = 2.75; 95% CI = 1.319−5.733, p  = 0.007). No differences were observed between the MS patients and the controls, concerning the frequencies of the −479 T/C and G82S genotypes of the RAGE. Our results revealed an association between the −374 T/A polymorphism of the RAGE promoter and MS. The genetic variant −374 AA (which has previously been shown to exert significant effects on transcriptional activity) can be considered a preventive factor as regards the occurrence of MS. Our findings support the view that RAGE plays a role in the development of MS.