MicroRNAs as a possible biomarker in the treatment of multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating, autoimmune and inflammatory disease that affects the central nervous system (CNS) and is one of the leading causes of disability in young adults worldwide. There are different drugs for the treatment of MS that aim to modify the natural course of the disease and thus slow its progression. This group of drugs is known as disease modifying therapy (DMT). To evaluate the effectiveness of these drugs, mainly clinical and MRI parameters are used. In recent years, different studies have emerged that propose the use of biomarkers to improve the evaluation of the effectiveness of DMT and to provide individualized therapy. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are part of these biomarkers that have been proposed both for their wide availability in different tissues and body fluids and for their possible involvement in different biological processes. In this review we briefly discuss the mechanisms of action of drugs available for the treatment of MS, as well as recent findings on the expression levels of different miRNAs in MS patients under treatment with DMT.