Detection of multiple sclerosis (MS) is a challenging process, which usually requires repeated imaging over time. The absence of unequivocal detection tests delays initiation of treatment thus increasing potential for significant brain damage. Similarly, the absence of biomarkers that reflect disease activity complicates treatment of clinically-defined MS and trials of disease-modifying medications. In this presentation novel biomarkers based on methylation of cell-free circulating DNA in blood will be described. These biomarkers reflect the presence of relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) even when the patient is in remission. Moreover, they can differentiate patients in relapse and in remission thus opening the possibility to detect asymptomatic relapses, which constitute over 90% of relapses in RRMS. Treatment-related changes in DNA methylation-based biomarkers suggest that methylation of cell-free circulating.
DNA can be used to monitor treatment thus providing an objective measure of success for clinical trials. To illustrate the potential of methylation patterns I will use data produced by our MetDet-56 technique, which is designed to evaluate methylation patterns of 56 promoters in each clinical sample. Current version of the assay evaluates methylation on a genome-wide scale but still requires only 1 ng of DNA or 0.5 ml of blood plasma Blood-based test for multiple sclerosisâ biomarkers fordisease detection and monitoring of treatment, Victor V. Levenson, J.
These recent advents in the field of multiple sclerosis is well discussed in the journal of multiple sclerosis thus helping out the researchers to solve well-defined clinical problems of multiple sclerosis through sharing their findings and discussing these issues.
Last date updated on April, 2024