Correlation between IGFBP7 and inflammatory cytokines in patients with multiple sclerosis

Area of Science:

• Neuroimmunology
• Biomarker Discovery
• Multiple Sclerosis Pathogenesis

Background:

• Neuroinflammation is key in multiple sclerosis (MS), driven by cytokines, but their diagnostic utility is inconsistent.
• Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 (IGFBP7) role in MS inflammation and repair is unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• Evaluate diagnostic and clinical relevance of serum/CSF cytokines and IGFBP7 in MS.
• Assess if combining IGFBP7 with cytokines enhances MS diagnostic discrimination.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective (139 MS vs 148 controls) and prospective (20 MS vs 40 controls) cohorts.
• Quantified TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and IGFBP7 via immunoassay/ELISA.
• Analyzed group differences, MS subtypes, disability correlations, and diagnostic performance.

Main Results:

• Serum/CSF TNF-α and IL-8 higher in MS patients.
• CSF IGFBP7 positively correlated with CSF TNF-α (P < 0.001) in MS.
• CSF TNF-α (AUC=0.711) and IGFBP7 (AUC=0.885) showed diagnostic utility; combination improved it (AUC=0.939).

Conclusions:

• CSF IGFBP7 is linked to CSF TNF-α, indicating potential diagnostic value in MS.
• A dual-marker model (CSF IGFBP7 + TNF-α) enhanced MS diagnostic performance.
• IGFBP7 may reflect inflammatory processes relevant to MS.