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Updated: Mar 25, 2026
High-throughput Quantitative Real-time RT-PCR Assay for Determining Expression Profiles of Types I and III Interferon Subtypes
Published on: March 24, 2015
Cytokine profiles show heterogeneity of interferon-β response in multiple sclerosis patients
Harald Hegen1, Indra Adrianto1, Christopher J Lessard1
1Department of Neurology (H.H., A.M., M.H., D.R., F.D.), Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria; Department of Arthritis and Clinical Immunology (I.A., C.J.L., R.C.A.), Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City; Centro di Riferimento Regionale Sclerosi Multipla (A.B., S.N.), Neurologia 2, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria San Luigi Gonzaga, Orbassano, Turin, Italy; Centre d'Esclerosi Múltiple de Catalunya (Cemcat) (M.C., X.M.), Unitat de Neuroimmunologia Clínica, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain; Queen Mary University London (G.G.), Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, UK; Clinical Department of Neurology (M.G.), Allgemeines Krankenhaus Linz, Austria; Department of Neurology (M.K., F.F.), Medical University of Graz, Austria; Department of Neurology (J.K.), Vrije Universiteit Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Biomedicines and Neurology (R.L.P.L., M.M.), Clinical Neuroimmunology, University of Basel, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland; Clinical Department of Neurology (F. Schautzer), Landeskrankenhaus Villach, Austria; Danish Multiple Sclerosis Center (F. Sellebjerg, P.S.S.), Department of Neurology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; and Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences (L.S.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA.
Objective:
To evaluate serum cytokine profiles for their utility to determine the heterogeneous responses to interferon (IFN)-β treatment in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).
Methods:
Patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) or clinically isolated syndrome receiving de novo IFN-β treatment were included in this prospective, observational study. Number of relapses and changes in disability were assessed 2 years prior to and 2 years after initiation of treatment. Sera were collected at baseline and after 3 months on therapy. Cytokine levels in sera were assessed by Luminex multiplex assays. Baseline cytokine profiles were grouped by hierarchical clustering analysis. Demographic features, changes in cytokines, and clinical outcome were then assessed in the clustered patient groups.
Results:
A total of 157 patients were included in the study and clustered into 6 distinct subsets by baseline cytokine profiles. These subsets differed significantly in their clinical and biological response to IFN-β therapy. Two subsets were associated with patients who responded poorly to therapy. Two other subsets, associated with a good response to therapy, showed a significant reduction in relapse rates and no worsening of disability. Each subset also had differential changes in cytokine levels after 3 months of IFN-β treatment.
Conclusions:
There is heterogeneity in the immunologic pathways of the RRMS population, which correlates with IFN-β response.
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