翻譯新聞如後，
Looking at Multiple Sclerosis DNA for Clues
A recent study published in the April 28th issue of Nature is befuddling to those looking for answers about multiple sclerosis (MS) on the genetic level.
Scientists recruited three pairs of MS discordant identical twins (one of each pair had MS and one did not) to provide samples of DNA. The researchers then sequenced the entire genome for each of the participants - 2.8 billion "base pairs" for each one, to be exact - and compared the twins' DNA to one another.
Guess what they found? No difference in the DNA. None at all.
The scientists even conducted a very detailed investigation of immune cells, as MS is though by most experts to be an autoimmune disease, basically sequencing those and looking for differences. Still, no differences.
Although it would be tempting to say that this study (which cost 1.5 million dollars and took 18 months to complete the sequencing) provided no information, the fact is that it did tell us something - that there is apparently no direct genetic cause of MS. Otherwise, there would have been a difference in the DNA between the twins.
This doesn't mean that genetics doesn't play a role in MS, however. It could be a situation where there is a genetic component that is "necessary, but not sufficient" and requires an environmental factor to start the process that leads to MS, like an infection that one twin was exposed to and the other wasn't.
It is estimated that the likelihood of an identical twin developing MS if the other twin has MS is 30%. This falls to 4% likelihood in a non-identical twin and less than 3% in a non-twin sibling.
This is the first time that the entire genome of twins with autoimmune disease has been sequenced.
Source: Sergio E. Baranzini, Joann Mudge, Jennifer C. van Velkinburgh, et al. "Genome, epigenome and RNA sequences of monozygotic twins discordant for multiple sclerosis." Nature 464, 1351-1356 (29 April 2010).
基因並不決定一切
新華網倫敦４月２９日電
英國《自然》雜誌是一本刊登科學論文的學術刊物。４月２９日出版的《自然》雜誌的封面是兩名女性的剪影，一人站著而另一人坐在輪椅上。封面論文講的 是這對基因完全相同的同卵雙胞胎姐妹不同的生命故事：她們一人罹患多發性硬化症，而另一人完全健康。論文得出的結論是，基因並不決定一切。
參與這項研究的科學家賽爾吉奧·巴蘭茲尼說，雖然這對雙胞胎的基因組相同，但由于後天不同的環境因素等原因，導致了兩人完全不同的結果。
近年，全球基因科學發展迅速，但公眾對于基因的認識有走向偏頗的勢頭。此次研究，恰好是對這種偏頗敲響了警鐘。
今年是首個人類基因組草圖公布十周年。十年來，基因測序技術飛速發展。繪制首份基因組草圖需要多國科學家聯手，耗時十年、耗資數十億美元。現在，一個小 規模的研究小組可以在幾個月之內以一兩萬美元的成本測出一份基因組。
技術的巨大進步導致基因研究工作在 全球迅速鋪開。目前這方面研究以發現某種疾病的致病基因為主。如去年澳大利亞和新西蘭研究人員在《自然·遺傳學》上報告發現了兩個與多發性硬化症有關的基 因。
但是這類研究經常受到大眾的錯誤解讀。如《自然·遺傳學》曾刊登與吸煙有關的基因研究報告，隨後大 眾媒體上出現了諸如“吸煙易上癮都是基因惹的禍”、“戒不掉煙，可怪基因”之類的標題。這種論調否定了後天環境和個人生活習慣對健康的影響。本次研究及時 揭示了問題的另一面：雖然基因對人類健康影響重大，但並不決定一切。附上Nature的官方網頁：http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v464/n7293/。
所以，即便基因有缺陷，或許並不足以影響，後天的環境也是相當重要的，就如同一個彈藥庫內放了滿滿的易燃物和炸藥，若沒有相對的高溫和引信是無法引起此彈藥庫的爆炸的！
所以，對於已經生病的MS病友們，我們目前可以做的就是把後天的環境調整好，把引信和雷管拆除！靜脈擴張也許也是一種方法之一 ～
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无疑，许多疾病的发生的原因是基因+环境因素。虽然，基因并不决定一切，但是基因扮演了重要作用。It is estimated that the likelihood of an identical twin developing MS if the other twin has MS is 30%. This falls to 4% likelihood in a non-identical twin and less than 3% in a non-twin sibling.研究发现相同基因的双胞胎中，如果一个是MS，另外一个导致MS的可能性是30%。但是基因不同的双胞胎中，如果一个是MS，另外一个导致MS的可能性只有4%。证明了基因的重要作用。在西方国家，家族性的MS实在太多了。
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