Genetics

This blog post examines a comprehensive epigenome-wide association study investigating DNA methylation patterns in multiple sclerosis across multiple cohorts, with a particular emphasis on early disease stages and immune cell specificity. By integrating methylation data with established genetic risk factors, including HLA haplotypes and polygenic risk scores, the study demonstrates that epigenetic variation captures substantial disease-associated biology not explained by genotype alone. The analysis highlights the central role of antigen-presenting cells—especially B cells and monocytes—in shaping the MS epigenetic landscape and underscores the potential of genotype-adjusted methylation signatures as informative biomarkers and mechanistic links between environmental exposure, immune dysregulation, and disease susceptibility.