Klotho and vitamin D in multiple sclerosis: an Italian study

INTRODUCTION: Low vitamin D levels have been recognised as an important risk factor for autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS). MS is a multifactorial disease, the pathogenesis of which contributes both to genetic and environmental factors. Polymorphisms in genes codifying molecules involved in vitamin D homeostasis have been associated with hypovitaminosis D. However, the influence of polymorphisms of Klotho, which codify a protein with a pivotal role in vitamin D metabolism, have never been investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association among genetic variants of Klotho, namely rs1207568 and rs9536314, serum 25(OH)D(3) levels, and multiple sclerosis (both risk and disease progression). MATERIAL AND METHODS: 107 patients with MS and 133 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Serum 25(OH)D(3) levels and genotyping of Klotho SNPs were evaluated in all participants by high-performance liquid chromatography and real-time polymerase chain reaction, respectively. RESULTS: Allelic and genotypic frequencies did not differ between patients and controls. Concerning rs1207568, we found a trend toward lower serum 25(OH)D(3) levels in MS patients with A allele (mutant), both in heterozygosis (AG) and in homozygosis (AA), in comparison to MS patients with G allele in homozygosis (GG) (AG + AA 20.5 ±6.3 µg/l; GG 22.5 ±7.5 µg/l, p = 0.07). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings did not identify a role of Klotho in the genetic susceptibility to MS.