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Acetate correlates with disability and immune response in multiple sclerosis.
Silvia Pérez-Pérez1, María Inmaculada Domínguez-Mozo1, Aitana Alonso-Gómez1
1Grupo de Investigación de Factores Ambientales en Enfermedades Degenerativas, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC) / Red Española de Esclerosis Múltiple (REEM), Madrid, Spain.
Peerj
|November 26, 2020
Summary
Plasma acetate levels are elevated in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and correlate with disease severity and specific immune cell changes, suggesting a role for short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) in MS pathogenesis.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimmunology
- Microbiome research
- Metabolomics
Background:
- The gut microbiota is implicated in multiple sclerosis (MS) pathogenesis.
- Short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) are microbial metabolites influencing the gut-brain axis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify plasma SCFA levels in MS patients versus healthy donors (HD).
- To investigate correlations between SCFA levels, clinical MS data (EDSS, MSSS), and immune cell populations.
Main Methods:
- Plasma SCFA analysis using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.
- Flow cytometry for peripheral blood mononuclear cell profiling.
- Recruitment of 95 MS patients and 54 HD, stratified by Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores.
Main Results:
- Elevated plasma acetate levels observed in MS patients compared to HD.
- Higher acetate levels in MS patients with severe disability (EDSS ≥ 5.0) versus milder disability (EDSS ≤ 1.5) and HD.
- Acetate levels positively correlated with EDSS and Multiple Sclerosis Severity Score (MSSS).
- In untreated MS patients, acetate inversely correlated with CD4+ naïve T cells and directly with CD8+ IL-17+ cells.
Conclusions:
- Plasma acetate is significantly higher in MS patients.
- A correlation exists between plasma acetate, MS disability (EDSS), and elevated IL-17+ T cells in MS.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the specific role of SCFA in MS.
