Systems biology approaches for the study of multiple sclerosis

Introduction Genomics Transcriptomics Proteomics Metabolomics Integration of data from different ‘omics' approaches New experimental models Conclusions Abstract Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive neurological disease caused by an autoimmune attack to the central nervous system (CNS). MS is thought to result from a complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors. In this review, we analyse the contribution of genomics, trancriptomics and proteomics in delineating these factors, as well as their utility for the monitoring of disease progression, the identification of new targets for therapeutic intervention and the early detection of individuals at risk.