Multiple sclerosis risk = genes that protected against cattle diseases
January 19, 2024 7:03 PM Subscribe
The genes which protected our ancestors from cattle diseases now raise the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS). There are about twice as many cases of multiple sclerosis per 100,000 people in north-western Europe, including the UK and Scandinavia, compared with southern Europe.
Researchers from the universities of Cambridge, Copenhagen and Oxford spent more than 10 years delving into archaeology to investigate why. They discovered that genes which increase the risk of MS entered into north-western Europe about 5,000 years ago via a massive migration of cattle herders called Yamnaya.
The Yamnaya came from western Russia, Ukraine and Kazhakstan, and moved west into Europe, says one of four Nature journal papers published on the topic.
The findings "astounded us all", said Dr William Barrie, paper author and expert in computational analysis of ancient DNA at University of Cambridge.
At the time, the gene variants carried by the herding people were an advantage, helping to protect them against diseases in their sheep and cattle.
Nowadays, however, with modern lifestyles, diets and better hygiene, these gene variants have taken on a different role.
In the present day, these same traits mean a higher risk of developing certain diseases, such as MS.
The Yamnaya came from western Russia, Ukraine and Kazhakstan, and moved west into Europe, says one of four Nature journal papers published on the topic.
The findings "astounded us all", said Dr William Barrie, paper author and expert in computational analysis of ancient DNA at University of Cambridge.
At the time, the gene variants carried by the herding people were an advantage, helping to protect them against diseases in their sheep and cattle.
Nowadays, however, with modern lifestyles, diets and better hygiene, these gene variants have taken on a different role.
In the present day, these same traits mean a higher risk of developing certain diseases, such as MS.
Seems to be a similar case to how carriers of sickle-cell anemia genes have significant protection against malaria.
posted by tclark at 7:18 PM on January 19 [4 favorites]
posted by tclark at 7:18 PM on January 19 [4 favorites]
And interestingly we've started curing sickle-cell disease for the first time in human history. It's a hellish treatment, but it actually works. No word yet about malaria exposure.
posted by hippybear at 7:37 PM on January 19 [1 favorite]
posted by hippybear at 7:37 PM on January 19 [1 favorite]
Other things we may have gotten from the Yamnaya: horses, the wheel, and Proto-Indo European.
posted by migurski at 8:53 PM on January 19 [4 favorites]
posted by migurski at 8:53 PM on January 19 [4 favorites]
"So the cure for MS is so start living full time in a cattle shed? I might be getting the science wrong..."
I think it's more, if you spent a lot of quality time with your livestock, this might protect you.
In an time when fewer people survived into the age band where these diseases really kick in, these genes were probably a great tradeoff. I'm not altogether persuaded by folks who say "evolution doesn't care what happens after you reproduce" because I gather grandparental investment influences survival. But. Got to live to be grandparent age first (also I'm going to guess that 60+ is getting to great-grandparent age in that cultural setting).
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 9:49 PM on January 19 [1 favorite]
I think it's more, if you spent a lot of quality time with your livestock, this might protect you.
In an time when fewer people survived into the age band where these diseases really kick in, these genes were probably a great tradeoff. I'm not altogether persuaded by folks who say "evolution doesn't care what happens after you reproduce" because I gather grandparental investment influences survival. But. Got to live to be grandparent age first (also I'm going to guess that 60+ is getting to great-grandparent age in that cultural setting).
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 9:49 PM on January 19 [1 favorite]
(although actually, maybe cattle disease exposure WOULD make a difference. I understand that parasites in the gut modulate immune response cause they don't want to get kicked out, and some gut auto-immune conditions might be to do with the fact that in modern society we don't have hookworms any more, and some folks are experimenting with hookworms as a cure for those diseases...)
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 9:51 PM on January 19 [2 favorites]
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 9:51 PM on January 19 [2 favorites]
At the time, the gene variants carried by the herding people were an advantage, helping to protect them against diseases in their sheep and cattle.
I would like to understand better how they are drawing the conclusion that these genes linked with MS were selected for specifically because they were/are protective against diseases associated with herding sheep and cattle. I don't have any education in genetics past high school biology so I am out of my depth reading the original Nature paper but it seems to be making a more general statement about protection against a variety of diseases and parasites, not just those related to contact with herd animals.
posted by 4rtemis at 6:31 AM on January 20 [3 favorites]
You'd think there should be some kind of hookworm extract that would do the trick.
posted by Aardvark Cheeselog at 7:24 AM on January 20
posted by Aardvark Cheeselog at 7:24 AM on January 20
In an time when fewer people survived into the age band where these diseases really kick in, these genes were probably a great tradeoff. I'm not altogether persuaded by folks who say "evolution doesn't care what happens after you reproduce" because I gather grandparental investment influences survival. But. Got to live to be grandparent age first (also I'm going to guess that 60+ is getting to great-grandparent age in that cultural setting).
i_am_joe's_spleen, MS can make people in their 20s and 30s and 40s too profoundly disabled to do paid work.
I know multiple people in-person for whom this is the case.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 9:07 AM on January 20 [4 favorites]
i_am_joe's_spleen, MS can make people in their 20s and 30s and 40s too profoundly disabled to do paid work.
I know multiple people in-person for whom this is the case.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 9:07 AM on January 20 [4 favorites]
Fascinating. There was a different fascinating MS-related finding pertaining to infectious disease about two years ago — previously. Really interested to hear if anyone knows how these might interleave. Certainly I’ve heard other theories of infectious-neurodegenerative disease links in which a gene plays a key role in risk, but this one is interesting because the gene seems otherwise protective.
posted by eirias at 12:11 PM on January 20
posted by eirias at 12:11 PM on January 20
Previously: “Inverse Vaccine” Could Reverse Symptoms Of Multiple Autoimmune Diseases
posted by 1970s Antihero at 12:41 PM on January 20
posted by 1970s Antihero at 12:41 PM on January 20
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Jokes aside, this is a really interesting thing. I love when they can track down how genes meant to do X end up doing Y. It isn't often, I don't think.
Super interesting, thanks so much for posting it!
posted by hippybear at 7:08 PM on January 19 [1 favorite]