Potential Metabolite Biomarkers of Multiple Sclerosis from Multiple Biofluids.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biochemistry
• Medical Diagnostics

Background:

• Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, progressive neurological disorder with no cure.
• Accurate diagnosis of MS is challenging, relying on medical history, neurological exams, MRI, and excluding other conditions.
• A simple, definitive biofluid test for MS is currently lacking but highly desirable for early intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify novel metabolite biomarkers for multiple sclerosis (MS) using NMR-based metabolomics.
• To explore potential biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), serum, and urine for progressive MS (PMS) and relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS).
• To assess the feasibility of developing a rapid diagnostic test for MS based on identified metabolic profiles.

Main Methods:

• Employed Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics on CSF, serum, and urine samples.
• Analyzed samples from 206 progressive MS (PMS) patients, 46 relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients, and 99 healthy controls.
• Utilized patient-matched samples and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) classification for biomarker identification and validation.

Main Results:

• Identified 32 CSF metabolites, 31 serum metabolites, and 14 urine metabolites associated with PMS.
• Discovered four metabolites with consistent profiles across all three biofluids, indicating potential as cross-biofluid markers.
• Found three metabolites that varied from healthy controls through RRMS and PMS stages, suggesting utility for differentiating MS subtypes.

Conclusions:

• Metabolite biomarkers identified in CSF, serum, and urine are linked to MS pathology, including demyelination and neuronal damage.
• Cross-biofluid metabolite profiles and ROC analysis show promise for a rapid, reliable diagnostic test for MS.
• These findings support the potential for early intervention and improved quality of life for MS patients through advanced diagnostics.