[Lara]

Published: 15 June 2009
Queensland researchers help unlock genetic keys to MS

http://www.uq.edu.au/news/index.html?article=18593

<snips from article>

Queensland scientists are part of a consortium that has discovered two genetic variants which increase the risk of MS and reveal links to other autoimmune disease.

Changes in the region on chromosome 12 were discovered to coincide with an increased susceptibility to type I diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis, whereas the region identified on chromosome 20 also coincides with susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis and Graves' disease.

In addition, chromosome 12 encodes the enzyme that converts vitamin D, which we obtain mainly through sunlight, but also our diet, into an active form that our body can use.

[Koala77]

Thank you for posting this Lara.

I just finished posting about the chromosomes in the MS forum, but I hadn't yet mentioned what they said about Vit D.

I just wanted to tell everyone about the chromosomes first because the news is so exciting! Let's hope it's the beginning of the answers that we've all been waiting for!