Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40038527›Full record

ArticleNature neuroscience2025

Neuronal somatic mutations are increased in multiple sclerosis lesions.

Allan Motyer, Stacey Jackson, Bicheng Yang, Ivon Harliwong, Wei Tian, Wing In Avis Shiu, Yunchang Shao, Bo Wang, Catriona McLean, Michael Barnett and 3 more

Abstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Nature neuroscience, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Origins and timing of somatic variants in the brain.Current opinion in genetics & development · 2026
    Review
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  3. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Allan MotyerMelbourne Integrative Genomics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5552-2469
Stacey JacksonThe Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Bicheng YangBGI-Australia, Herston, Queensland, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9658-9064
Ivon HarliwongBGI-Australia, Herston, Queensland, Australia.
Wei TianBGI-Australia, Herston, Queensland, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8948-394X
Wing In Avis ShiuBGI-Australia, Herston, Queensland, Australia.
Yunchang ShaoChina National GeneBank, Shenzhen, China.
Bo WangChina National GeneBank, Shenzhen, China.
Catriona McLeanDepartment of Anatomical Pathology, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0302-5727
Michael BarnettBrain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Trevor J KilpatrickThe Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Stephen Leslie *Melbourne Integrative Genomics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Justin P Rubio *The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. justin.rubio@florey.edu.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3750-917X

Funding

Bethlehem Griffiths Research Foundation (BGRF) BGRF1801Department of Health | National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) 1175775 and 1184640Department of Health | National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) 1184640Department of Health | National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) 1184640 and 1175775National Multiple Sclerosis Society (National MS Society) PP-1606-24404Rebecca L. Cooper Medical Research Foundation 10665
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Neuroinflammation underpins neurodegeneration and clinical progression in multiple sclerosis (MS), but knowledge of processes linking these disease mechanisms remains incomplete. Here we investigated somatic single-nucleotide variants (sSNVs) in the genomes of 106 single neurons from post-mortem brain tissue of ten MS cases and 16 controls to determine whether somatic mutagenesis is involved. We observed an increase of 43.9 sSNVs per year in neurons from chronic MS lesions, a 2.5 times faster rate than in neurons from normal-appearing MS and control tissues. This difference was equivalent to 1,291 excess sSNVs in lesion neurons at 70 years of age compared to controls. We performed mutational signature analysis to investigate mechanisms underlying neuronal sSNVs and identified a signature characteristic of lesions with a strong, age-associated contribution to sSNV counts. This research suggests that neuroinflammation is mutagenic in the MS brain, potentially contributing to disease progression.

Indexed as

BrainMultiple SclerosisMutationNeuronsAdultAgedAged, 80 and overDisease ProgressionFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPolymorphism, Single Nucleotide

Identifiers

PMID40038527

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.