Genetics

Multiple sclerosis susceptibility genetics is nearly solved and almost entirely immune; progression genetics is barely started. Three 2026 papers show the two produce different gene lists. Wang and colleagues screened 731 immune cell traits against MS risk and landed on B cells and dendritic cells. Jiang and colleagues ran a progression GWAS against blood and brain pQTL data and came out with RRM2B, CBR1, ETFA, DNM3, CAB39L and NMRAL1, none of them immune genes. Zeng and colleagues built the atlas behind such work, 5.6 million nuclei from 1,384 donors, where MS heritability enriches in neurons rather than microglia.