PCR typing of two short tandem repeat (STR) structures upstreams of the human myelin basic protein (MBP) gene; the genetic susceptibility in multiple sclerosis and monosymptomatic idiopathic optic neuritis in Danes.

We investigated two short tandem tetranucleotide (TGGA) repeat polymorphisms upstreams of the myelin basic protein (MBP) gene. The region was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the two repeat systems were separated by cutting with the restriction enzyme NlaIII. The lengths of the DNA fragments were analyzed by vertical electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels followed by silver staining. We compared the DNA fragment frequencies of the two MBP regions in 34 patients suffering from multiple sclerosis and in 78 suffering from monosymptomatic idiopathic optic neuritis to those in 200 healthy controls. We found no significant differences between the MBP fragment frequencies in either of the patient groups and in the control group.