Role of fenofibrate in multiple sclerosis

Area of Science:

• Neuroimmunology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a primary inflammatory demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system (CNS).
• MS pathophysiology involves immune-mediated myelin sheath destruction, leading to plaques, inflammation, and neuronal injury.
• MS plaques are disseminated focal lesions in the CNS white and grey matter.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the immunoinflammatory mechanisms by which fenofibrate mitigates multiple sclerosis (MS) neuropathology.
• To elucidate the role of fenofibrate as a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR-α) agonist in managing MS.

Main Methods:

• Literature review focusing on the immunomodulatory effects of fenofibrate in MS.
• Analysis of fenofibrate's impact on inflammatory signaling pathways, including Th17 differentiation.

Main Results:

• Fenofibrate, a PPAR-α agonist, demonstrates anti-inflammatory properties relevant to MS.
• Fenofibrate inhibits Th17 cell differentiation by suppressing pro-inflammatory signaling.
• The drug modulates key pathways implicated in MS, such as oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction.

Conclusions:

• Fenofibrate can attenuate MS neuropathology.
• Its therapeutic potential lies in modulating neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, autophagy, mitochondrial dysfunction, and inflammatory signaling pathways.