Detection of NUCB2/nesfatin-1 in cerebrospinal fluid of multiple sclerosis patients

NUCB2/nesfatin-1 was originally discovered as an anorexigenic peptide. However, recent studies revealed various additional functions including the regulation of inflammation. However, there are no studies that investigated the involvement of NUCB2/nesfatin-1 in neuroinflammatory diseases. Here, we aimed to investigate the involvement of NUCB2/nesfatin-1 in a representative neuroinflammatory disease, multiple sclerosis (MS). Cerebrospinal fluids (CSF) were collected from 24 MS patients and 10 control subjects and NUCB2/nesfatin-1, proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β) and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10, TGF-β) levels were measured by using ELISA assay. Also the expression of NUCB2/nesfatin-1 in the CSF of MS patient was investigated by western blot analysis. Expression of NUCB2/nesfatin-1 was confirmed in the CSF of the MS patient by western blot analysis. NUCB2/nesfatin-1 levels were significantly higher in the CSF of the MS patients. Among the measured cytokines, only IL-1β was lower in the CSF of the MS patients. We report for the first time increased NUCB2/nesfatin-1 levels in the CSF of MS patients.