Studies of identical twins are widely used to dissect the contributions of genes and the environment to human diseases. In multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune demyelinating disease, identical twins often show differences. This might suggest that environmental effects are most significant in this case, but genetic and epigenetic differences between identical twins have been described. Here, however, studies of identical twins show no evidence for genetic, epigenetic or transcriptome differences that could explain disease discordance.
- Sergio E. Baranzini
- Joann Mudge
- Stephen F. Kingsmore