Pharmacogenetic study of long-term response to interferon-β treatment in multiple sclerosis

The aim of the study is the identification of genetic factors that influence the long-term response to interferon-\u3b2 (IFN\u3b2) (4-year follow-up). We performed a genome-wide association study in 337 IFN\u3b2-treated Italian multiple sclerosis patients at the extreme of treatment response, and we meta-analyzed association effects, integrating results with pathway analysis, gene-expression profiling of IFN\u3b2-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 20 healthy controls (HC) and expression quantitative locus (eQTL) analyses. From meta-analysis, 43 markers were associated at P