The concentration of myelin basic protein in extracellular vesicles derived from oligodendrocytes is significantly higher in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) compared to healthy controls, found a new study published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences. The concentration was also correlated with the severity of the disease.
Based on these findings, the study authors concluded that a minimally invasive blood test that measures myelin basic protein concentration in oligodendrocyte-derived extracellular vesicles could be “a promising tool that could facilitate MS diagnosis.”
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To explore whether the myelin basic protein and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein content of oligodendrocyte-derived extracellular vesicles could help differentiate between different types of MS, a team of researchers from Milan, Italy, led by Mario Clerici, MD studied a total of 74 patients with MS and 62 matched healthy controls. Of the 74 patients, 7 had clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), 18 had primary progressive MS (PPMS), and 49 had relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).
The researchers obtained oligodendrocyte-derived extracellular vesicles from the serum of the patients using immune capture with anti-myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibodies. They measured myelin basic protein and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein cargoes using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Finally, the measured disease severity using the Expanded Disability Status Scale and the Multiple Sclerosis Severity Score.
The results showed that the myelin basic protein concentration was significantly higher in patients with all 3 disease types (CIS, RRMS, and PPMS) compared to healthy controls. Moreover, myelin basic protein concentration was also significantly higher in patients with PPMS compared to those with RRMS and CIS.
“It will be necessary to confirm these results in larger cohorts of patients,” the researchers wrote and added that it would be interesting to check the concentration of myelin basic protein in oligodendrocyte-derived extracellular vesicles in patients who are in the initial phases of the disease to see whether this can help identify different types of MS early on.
PPMS is particularly hard to diagnose and treat and has a poor prognosis.
Reference
Agliardi C, Guerini FR, Zanzottera M, et al. Myelin basic protein in oligodendrocyte-derived extracellular vesicles as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in multiple sclerosis: a pilot study. Int J Mol Sci. Published online January 3, 2023. doi:10.3390/ijms24010894
