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IL-7Rα and multiple sclerosis risk

The discovery of genetic risk factors for multiple sclerosis has proven difficult. IL-7Rα, encoded by IL7R, is a pleiomorphic cytokine receptor now implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis in independently replicated genetic association studies.

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Figure 1: Large sample sizes are required to detect genetic associations of small effects, under any model of inheritance.

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Harley, J. IL-7Rα and multiple sclerosis risk. Nat Genet 39, 1053–1054 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/ng0907-1053

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