The rs4759314 SNP within Hotair lncRNA is associated with risk of multiple sclerosis.

Recent studies have demonstrated the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the pathophysiology of autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Among these transcripts is HOX transcript antisense intergenic RNA (HOTAIR) whose contribution in MS has been verified both in animal models and in human studies. In the current study, we genotyped three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with this lncRNA (rs12826786, rs1899663 and rs4759314) in 403 Iranian MS patients and 420 healthy subjects. After correction of P values for multiple comparisons, the rs4759314 SNP was associated with risk of MS in allelic model (OR (95% CI)= 1.34 (1.08-1.67), adjusted P value=0.02). The other SNPs were not associated with risk of MS in any inheritance model. The C G A haplotype (rs12826786, rs1899663 and rs4759314, respectively) was less prevalent in cases compared with controls (OR (95% CI)= 0.73 (0.59-0.90), adjusted P value=0.03). The T G A haplotype was more common among cases compared with controls (OR (95% CI)= 1.58 (1.20-2.08), adjusted P value=0.01). Taken together, HOTAIR might be regarded as a risk locus for MS in Iranian population.