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Measuring Progressive Neurological Disability in a Mouse Model of Multiple Sclerosis
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Cell-free mitochondrial DNA in progressive multiple sclerosis

Hannah Lowes1, Angela Pyle1, Martin Duddy2

  • 1Institute of Genetic Medicine, International Centre for Life, Central Parkway, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 3BZ, UK; The Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research, Newcastle University, Medical School, Framlington Place, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK.

Mitochondrion
|August 12, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Reduced cell-free mitochondrial DNA (ccf-mtDNA) is linked to progressive multiple sclerosis (PMS), a neurodegenerative disease. This finding suggests ccf-mtDNA may be a biomarker for widespread neurodegeneration.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Molecular Biology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Cell-free mitochondrial DNA (ccf-mtDNA) is implicated in neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.
  • Progressive multiple sclerosis (PMS) exhibits significant neurodegenerative components.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of circulating ccf-mtDNA in end-stage progressive multiple sclerosis (PMS).
  • To compare ccf-mtDNA abundance and integrity in cerebrospinal fluid between PMS patients and controls.
  • To correlate ccf-mtDNA levels with established neurodegeneration and PMS protein markers.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of ventricular cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) ccf-mtDNA abundance and integrity.
  • Comparison between PMS cases and healthy controls.
  • Correlation of ccf-mtDNA levels with protein markers of neurodegeneration and PMS.

Main Results:

  • Reduced levels of ccf-mtDNA were observed in patients with progressive multiple sclerosis.
  • ccf-mtDNA integrity may also be altered in PMS.
  • ccf-mtDNA levels showed correlations with specific protein markers.

Conclusions:

  • Reduced ccf-mtDNA is a characteristic feature of progressive multiple sclerosis.
  • ccf-mtDNA may serve as a potential biomarker for neurodegeneration in a broader range of diseases.
Keywords:
Cell-free mitochondrial DNANeurodegenerationNext-Generation SequencingProgressive Multiple Sclerosis

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