Elevated Expression of the Cerebrospinal Fluid Disease Markers Chromogranin A and Clusterin in Astrocytes of Multiple Sclerosis White Matter Lesions.

Using proteomics, we previously identified chromogranin A (CgA) and clusterin (CLU) as disease-related proteins in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). CgA and CLU are involved in cell survival and are implicated in neurodegenerative disorders and may also have roles in MS pathophysiology. We investigated CgA and CLU expression in lesions and nonlesional regions in postmortem brains of MS patients and controls and in the brains of marmosets with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

The IL-7Rα pathway is quantitatively and functionally altered in CD8 T cells in multiple sclerosis.

The IL-7Rα single nucleotide polymorphism rs6897932 is associated with an increased risk for multiple sclerosis (MS). IL-7Rα is a promising candidate to be involved in autoimmunity, because it regulates T cell homeostasis, proliferation, and antiapoptotic signaling. However, the exact underlying mechanisms in the pathogenesis of MS are poorly understood.

The monocyte transcriptome during pregnancy in multiple sclerosis: prominent expression of the Fc-receptor CD64.

Background: During the third trimester of pregnancy multiple sclerosis (MS) disease activity is reduced. It is not fully understood which factors mediate this disease amelioration.

Objective: To study alterations of the monocyte transcriptome during pregnancy in MS patients, using a genomewide approach to identify differentially regulated genes.

Pregnancy-induced fluctuations in functional T-cell subsets in multiple sclerosis patients.

Background: During pregnancy, especially during the third trimester, multiple sclerosis (MS) disease activity is reduced. It is not known which factors mediate this disease amelioration.

Objective: To study whether the frequency of two important T-cell subsets, T-helper 17 (Th17) and regulatory T-cells (Treg), is altered in relation to pregnancy-induced MS disease amelioration.

Reduced cortisol levels in cerebrospinal fluid and differential distribution of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases in multiple sclerosis: implications for lesion pathogenesis.

Relapses during multiple sclerosis (MS) are treated by administration of exogenous corticosteroids. However, little is known about the bioavailability of endogenous steroids in the central nervous system (CNS) of MS patients. We thus determined cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) levels in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 34 MS patients, 28 patients with non-inflammatory neurological diseases (NIND) and 16 patients with other inflammatory neurological diseases (OIND).

First trimester interleukin 8 levels are associated with postpartum relapse in multiple sclerosis.

Pregnancy has an ameliorating effect on multiple sclerosis (MS), but directly after delivery the risk of a relapse is increased. The pro-inflammatory chemokine interleukin 8 is associated with disease activity. We aimed to investigate whether pregnancy-induced fluctuations of interleukin 8 correlate with periods of enhanced and diminished disease activity.

Severity of murine collagen-induced arthritis correlates with increased CYP7B activity: enhancement of dehydroepiandrosterone metabolism by interleukin-1beta.

Objective: The endogenous steroid dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) has been reported to play a role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). DHEA is metabolized by the P450 enzyme CYP7B into 7alpha-OH-DHEA, which has immunostimulating properties. This study was undertaken to investigate the putative role of CYP7B in arthritis using murine collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), an interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta)-dependent model.