Pharmacogenomics of multiple sclerosis: Association of immune response gene polymorphisms with copaxone treatment efficacy

A complex association analysis of copaxone (glatiramer acetate) immunotherapy efficacy with allelic polymorphism of the number of immune response genes, including the genes for interferon β (IFNB1), transforming growth factor β1 (TGFB1), interferon γ (IFNG), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interferon α/β receptor 1 (IFNAR1), CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5), interleukin 7 receptor subunit α (IL7RA), cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA4), and HLA class II histocompatibility antigen β chain (DRB1), was performed using the APSampler algorithm for 285 multiple sclerosis patients of Russian ethnicity. The results demonstrate that the polymorphic variants of CCR5, DRB1, IFNG, TGFB1, IFNAR1, IL7RA, and, possibly, TNF and CTLA4 contribute to the copaxone treatment response. Single alleles of CCR5 and DRB1 genes were reliably associated with treatment efficacy. Allelic variants of the other genes exerted a weaker, though still reliable, effect on the copaxone treatment response, but as part of bi- and triallelic combinations only. The study may provide a basis for a prognostic test allowing an individual choice of immune-modulating treatment for a patient with multiple sclerosis.