Romanian Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences

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INTERFERON-β 1A, AN IMMUNOMODULATOR IN RELAPSING REMITTING MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS PATIENTS. THE EFFECT ON PRO-INFLAMMATORY CYTOKINES

SMARANDA MAIER 1, ANCA MOTATAIANU 1*, LAURA BARCUTEAN 1, ALINA BALINT 2, ADINA HUTANU 3, BAJKO ZOLTAN 1, ADINA STOIAN 4, ANDREEA ROMANIUC 5, SEBASTIAN ANDONE 5, RODICA BALASA 1

1.Neurology Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology “George Emil Palade” Târgu Mureș, Romania
2.Department of Analitycal Chemistry and Drug Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology “George Emil Palade” Târgu Mureș, Romania
3.Laboratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology “George Emil Palade” Târgu Mureș, Romania
4.Pathophysiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and “George Emil Palade” Târgu Mureș, Romania
5.Doctoral School (I.O.S.U.D.) of the “George Emil Palade” University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mureș, Romania.

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Interferon-β was the first disease-modifying therapy used for recurrent-remissive multiple sclerosis, with an intricate mechanism of action. The objectives of the current study were identifying the cytokine profile in recurrent-remissive multiple sclerosis serum samples, both naïve and after one year of Interferon-β1a treatment, in order to study the mechanism of action. 37 recurrent-remissive multiple sclerosis patients and 37 healthy subjects were included. Serum levels of 15 cytokines were evaluated for the recurrent-remissive multiple sclerosis patients in the beginning of the study and after one year of treatment, respectively at the beginning for healthy subjects. The recurrent-remissive multiple sclerosis lot had at the beginning significantly higher levels of interleukin (IL)-10, IL-17F, IL-23, IL-31, sCD40L, TNF-α and “cytokine signature” compared to healthy controls. Treatment with Interferon-β1a significantly reduced the levels of IL-23, IL-31, sCD40L, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α and cytokine signature. IL-21 and TNF-α positively correlated with the activity of the disease (relapses, disability). The serum levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines are higher in naïve recurrent-remissive multiple sclerosis patients compared to healthy controls. Treatment with Interferon-β significantly decreases the inflammatory profile.