Serum IDO1 and β-catenin levels in patients with multiple sclerosis with and without atherosclerosis: A case-control...

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated disease of the central nervous system characterized by leukocyte infiltration, immune activation, demyelination, and axonal injury. This case-control observational study aimed to investigate whether serum indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase-1 (IDO1) and β-catenin levels are associated with atherosclerotic involvement in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients. Seventy-five RRMS patients were enrolled and divided into two groups: forty RRMS patients with atherosclerosis (MS + AT) and thirty-five RRMS patients without atherosclerosis (MS-AT), in addition to thirty healthy controls. Serum IDO1 and β-catenin levels were measured using ELISA, while additional biochemical parameters were assessed spectrophotometrically. Multivariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated that IDO1 was significantly associated with RRMS diagnosis (OR = 1.974, 95% CI: 1.371-2.842, p < 0.001), while β-catenin was also significantly associated with RRMS status (OR = 1.005, 95% CI: 1.002-1.008, p = 0.001). The model correctly classified 87.6% of cases. However, when comparing RRMS patients with and without atherosclerosis, neither IDO1 nor β-catenin remained independently associated with atherosclerosis after adjustment for potential confounders. Disease duration was the only significant predictor of atherosclerosis among RRMS patients (OR = 1.202, p = 0.046). These findings suggest that serum IDO1 and β-catenin levels may reflect underlying neuroinflammatory activity associated with RRMS but may not serve as independent biomarkers for predicting atherosclerotic involvement in this population. Disease duration appears to be more strongly associated with vascular involvement in RRMS patients.