Microarray analysis in B cells among siblings with/without MS - role for transcription factor TCF2

BACKGROUND: We investigated if global gene expression and transcription networks in B-lymphocytes of siblings with multiple sclerosis (MS) were different from healthy siblings. RESULTS: Using virus-transformed immortalized B cells and human whole genome bioarrays with validation using RT-qPCR, we found that in siblings with MS, genes for CXCL10, serpin B1 and FUT4 were up regulated whereas CDC5L, TNFRSF19 and HLA-DR were down regulated, among others; transcription analysis showed two intersecting clusters of transcriptional factors - the larger, governed by the upregulated transcription factor 2 (TCF2) and the smaller network regulated by the downregulated CDC5L. CONCLUSION: No study has linked TCF2 to MS and to better understand the role of TCF2 in MS, studies in larger cohorts are required.