Downregulation of dual-specificity phosphatase 1 (DUSP1) in post-mortem brain white matter in progressive multiple sclerosis

OBJECTIVE: Dual-specificity phosphatase 1 (DUSP1) is a negative regulator of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity, and a player in the control of glial function. Several disease models have identified that the expression of DUSP1 is altered in tissue samples, which may contribute to disease pathogenesis. Using post-mortem brain tissue from a cohort of progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) cases, this study set out to determine if the expression of DUSP1 is altered in the brain in MS. METHODS: We employed the use of a combination of PCR, western immunoblotting and immunohistochemical analysis to profile the expression of DUSP1. RESULTS: Data presented herein indicate that DUSP1 is significantly downregulated at gene and protein level in MS white matter tissue, when compared to samples from a non-MS control cohort. We also identify that DUSP1 is expressed on Iba1+ cells in the brain and that ITGAM (CD11b) expression is elevated in white matter in progressive MS. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide evidence that DUSP1 is dysregulated centrally in CNS white matter in progressive MS.