It appears the "proof" of the HLA-DRB1*15 allele and vitamin D relationship (an hypothesis put forth by Ebers, et al)  http://www.neurology.org/content/74/23/1905.short

doesn't exist.   At least accourding to a new study. 

Here is some new research which looked at the association of sunlight and the HLA-DRB1*15 allele.  This immune system marker is found in some of those with higher MS risk, and is always being touted as "proof" of the immune system involvement in MS.  However, the Karolinska Institute found no connection.  That's right----they say that sunlight, UV rays and vitamin D must be a protecting some other pathway in people with MS.

Sunlight is associated with decreased multiple sclerosis risk: no interaction with human leukocyte antigen-DRB1*15.

Bäärnhielm M, Hedström AK, Kockum I, Sundqvist E, Gustafsson SA, Hillert J, Olsson T, Alfredsson L.

Source

Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. maria.baarnhielm@karolinska.se

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Both insufficient exposure to sunlight and vitamin D deficiency have been associated with an increased risk for multiple sclerosis (MS). An interaction between human leukocyte antigen HLA-DRB1*15 and vitamin D in MS was recently proposed. We investigated the association between previous exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR), vitamin D status at inclusion in the study, and MS risk including the interaction of these factors with HLA-DRB1*15.

METHODS:

A population-based case-control study involving 1013 incident cases of MS and 1194 controls was performed in Sweden during 2005-2010. Subjects were classified according to their UVR exposure habits, vitamin D status, and HLA genotypes. The associations between different sun exposure habits/vitamin D levels and MS were calculated as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) using logistic regression. Potential interaction was evaluated by calculating the attributable proportion due to interaction.

RESULTS:

Subjects with low UVR exposure had a significantly increased risk of MS compared with those who reported the highest exposure (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.5-3.3). Similarly, subjects who had 25-hydroxy-vitamin D levels less than 50 nM/l had an increased risk for MS (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.2-1.7). The association between UVR exposure and MS risk persisted after adjustment for vitamin D status. There was no interaction with HLA-DRB1*15 carriage.

CONCLUSIONS:

UVR and vitamin D seem to affect MS risk in adults independently of HLA-DRB1*15 status. UVR exposure may also exert a protective effect against developing MS via other pathways than those involving vitamin D.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22289117

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So, what could the other pathway be?

How about UV rays providing vasculoprotection and vascular relaxation?

The link of vitamin D levels, UV rays and vascular health is being explored by vascular researchers.  

Perhaps the immunologists might want to speak to them?

link to a note about "Vasculoprotection"

https://www.facebook.com/notes/ccsvi-in-multiple-sclerosis/vitamin-d-provides-vasculoprotection/413441417210

Here's a link to a note on how UV rates create "photorelaxation" in the vasculature:

https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=488879427210&id=110796282297

Those who have been following this page for awhile know that we've looked at how vitamin D levels are implicated in cardiovascular health in pwMS.  This came about from writing the Endothelial Health program in '08 and studying MS as a vascular disease, with vitamin D status as a marker of endothelial dysfunction.  Here's the link to that paper for new folks.  

 http://www.ccsvi.org/index.php/helping-myself/endothelial-health

We know that vitamin D levels are one of the environmental factors that determine whether or not someone develops MS.  Other environmental factors highly implicated in developing MS are birth month and latitude.

What if researchers have been missing the mark for decades, by focusing on a faulty immune system and environmental factors, when the real culprit is a damaged vascular system?

let's turn this ship around,

Joan