Investigation of mitochondrial DNA polymerase gama (POLG) in patients with multiple sclerosis

ultiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune multifactorial disease that usually develops in susceptible young adults. A possible involvement of mitochondria in MS has been postulated because of a higher rate transmission of the disease from mother to child than from father to child. Also association between Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy, a mitochondrial disease and MS is another evidence. Fatigue is a common problem of the MS patients which is related to the energy production difficulty by the mitochondria. To investigate further the relationship between MS and mitochondria we analysed the gene encoding for polymerase G (POLG). Mutations in this gene are related to 50 different diseases. Total genomic DNA was extracted from 61 idiopathic MS patients and 40 controls. Primers were designed to amplify the 4 hot exones 7, 8, 9 and 13 and following by sequencing. The analysis of sequences showed no difference between control and patient samples. However this does not exclude the association of the gene in MS but it needs more investigation. Also it is necessary to test the other exones of the gene.