Genetics

This blog post examines a prospective genetic study investigating why the protective association between serum vitamin D and relapse risk may differ among people with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis. The researchers identified variants in the protein kinase C genes PRKCZ and PRKCH that modified the relationship between 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and relapse, as well as variants in CYP2R1 and PRKCB associated with lower vitamin D levels. These findings highlight the importance of gene–environment interactions in multiple sclerosis and suggest that protein kinase C signalling may influence individual biological responses to vitamin D, although larger replication and functional studies are required before clinical application.