About this Research Topic
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune neurodegenerative disorder of the central nervous system with a complex multifactorial origin. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have unraveled the contribution of genetic factors to the susceptibility to develop MS. In the largest GWAS published so far, the identified variants can cumulatively explain about 40% of the heritability of MS, leaving the majority of such risk still open to explorations (1).
The study of environmental factors (EF) is one of the main candidates to successfully fill the gap left by genetic studies. Through epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation or the control chromatin states, the environment is a master regulator of gene expression and significantly affects the pathobiology of many diseases. In the context of MS, different EF is known to impact the susceptibility to MS, but their effect on outcomes of disease severity in MS is not clear.
This research topic aims to explore how and whether such factors can influence disease severity in MS.
Specifically, we are interested in submissions addressing one or more of the following questions:
- Which environmental factors may impact the clinical outcomes of MS, especially in terms of disease severity?
- What are the molecular mechanisms through which environmental factors contribute to MS and its outcomes? In this regard, studies on epigenetic modifications will be particularly welcomed.
(1) International Multiple Sclerosis Genetics Consortium. Multiple sclerosis genomic map implicates peripheral immune cells and microglia in susceptibility. Science. 2019 Sep 27;365(6460):eaav7188. doi: 10.1126/science.aav7188. PMID: 31604244; PMCID: PMC7241648.
The study of environmental factors (EF) is one of the main candidates to successfully fill the gap left by genetic studies. Through epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation or the control chromatin states, the environment is a master regulator of gene expression and significantly affects the pathobiology of many diseases. In the context of MS, different EF is known to impact the susceptibility to MS, but their effect on outcomes of disease severity in MS is not clear.
This research topic aims to explore how and whether such factors can influence disease severity in MS.
Specifically, we are interested in submissions addressing one or more of the following questions:
- Which environmental factors may impact the clinical outcomes of MS, especially in terms of disease severity?
- What are the molecular mechanisms through which environmental factors contribute to MS and its outcomes? In this regard, studies on epigenetic modifications will be particularly welcomed.
(1) International Multiple Sclerosis Genetics Consortium. Multiple sclerosis genomic map implicates peripheral immune cells and microglia in susceptibility. Science. 2019 Sep 27;365(6460):eaav7188. doi: 10.1126/science.aav7188. PMID: 31604244; PMCID: PMC7241648.
Keywords: MS disease severity, environmental factors, environment, neurodegenerative disease, multiple sclerosis
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