Combination of serum markers with optical coherence tomography angiography for evaluating neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders and multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and multiple sclerosis (MS), autoimmune inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system, affect the optic nerve and brain. A lumbar puncture to obtain biomarkers is highly invasive. Serum biomarkers and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) are more accessible and less expensive than magnetic resonance imaging and provide reliable, reproducible measures of neuroaxonal damage. This study investigated the association between serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL), serum glial fibrillary acidic protein (sGFAP), and OCTA metrics. Serum sNfL and sGFAP levels, OCTA values, and clinical characteristics were compared among 91 patients with NMOSD, 81 patients with MS, and 34 healthy controls (HCs) at baseline and 1-year follow-up. RESULTS: sNfL and sGFAP levels were higher while the sGFAP/sNfL quotients were significantly lower in NMOSD and MS patients than those in HCs. At baseline, the average thicknesses of the peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (pRNFL) and macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (mGC-IPL) were significantly smaller in NMOSD and MS patients than those in HCs (pRNFL: MS 92.0 [80.2; 101] µm, NMOSD 80.0 [59.0; 95.8] µm, vs HC 99.0 [92.0; 104] µm, p < 0.001; mGC-IPL: MS 74.5 [64.2; 81.0] µm, NMOSD 68.0 [56.0; 81.0] µm, vs HC 83.5 [78.0; 88.0] µm, p < 0.001). The vessel density (VD) and perfusion density (PD) were increased in MS patients without optic neuritis compared to HCs (VD: MS 16.7 [15.6; 17.9] HC 15.3 [13.4; 16.9], p = 0.008; PD: MS 0.41 [0.38; 0.43], HC 0.37 [0.32; 0.41], p = 0.017). In NMOSD patients without optic neuritis, sNfL was significantly associated with PD at baseline (r = 0.329, q = 0.041). The baseline and follow-up values of the sNfL level and average pRNFL and mGC-IPL thicknesses in MS patients showed significant differences. NMOSD patients showed significant differences between baseline and follow-up sNfL and sGFAP levels but not OCTA metrics. CONCLUSION: Changes in retinal microvasculature might occur earlier than those in retinal structure and may therefore serve as a promising diagnostic marker for early NMOSD. The combination of serum markers and OCTA metrics could be used to evaluate and differentiate between MS and NMOSD.

[Study on the expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling-1 in liver and spleen of septic mice].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the change in suppressor of cytokine signaling-1 (SOCS1) gene in the liver and the spleen of septic mouse, and to find out its probable mechanisms of action in sepsis. METHODS: Cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) was adopted to reproduce sepsis model. The liver and the spleen tissues were harvested and RNA and protein were respectively extracted. The contents of the regulatory genes SOCS1 mRNA were determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and regulatory content of protein was detected by Western blotting. The SPSS statistics software was adopted to calculate the correlation. RESULTS: The expressions of SOCS1 on gene and protein in the liver were markedly upregulated at 6 th hour. The gene expression peaked at the 24 th hour (P<0.05).The expression of protein was persistently high. However, the expression of SOCS1 was only detected in the spleen, and it obviously rose in strength with the passage of time, and it remained in a high level. By statistical analysis, positive correlations were found between the gene and protein expressions of SOCS1 (y=0.110+/-5.765 x 10(-3) x, r=0.837, F=93.309, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: CLP induced sepsis can induce the up-regulation of the expressions of SOCS1, indicating that SOCS1 play important role in the change in immune system in sepsis. They may be used to intervene sepsis so as to improve the outcome of sepsis.