The Role of Cobalamin on Interleukin 10, Osteopontin, and Related MicroRNAs in Multiple Sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Considering how vitamin B12 or cobalamin affects the immune system, especially inflammation and the formation of the myelin sheath, it appears as a complementary therapy for MS by affecting some signaling pathways. Recently diagnosed MS patients were divided into two groups (n=30). One group received interferon-beta (IFN-ß or Avonex), and another received IFN-ß+B12 for six months. Blood samples were taken before and after treatments.  Interleukin (IL)-10 and osteopontin (OPN) levels in the plasma were determined by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method, and the expression of microRNA (miR)-106a, miR-299a, and miR-146a by real-time PCR. IFN-ß neither changed the IL-10 plasma levels nor miR106a and miR-299a expression, but it led to a remarkable decrease in OPN concentration and enhancement in let-7c and miR-146a expression. There was a significant decrease in IL-10, OPN plasma levels, miR-106a expression, and a substantial increase in let-7c and  miR-146a expression in IFN-ß+B12, treated group. There was no correlation between IL-10 and OPN with related miRNAs in the two treatment groups. Our study indicated that B12 could be a complementary treatment in MS that may influence the disease improvement.

Proportions of circulating transitional B cells associate with MRI activity in interferon beta-treated multiple sclerosis patients.

B-cells contribute to MS pathogenesis. The association of circulating B-cell phenotypes with combined unique active lesions (CUA) on MRI at 48 weeks follow-up was investigated in 50 interferon beta-treated MS patients. Transitional B-cell proportions were lower in participants with CUA at week 0 and 48 [p = 0.004, p = 0.002]. A decrease in circulating anti-EBNA-1 IgG levels between week 0 and 48 associated with absence of CUA [p = 0.047], but not with B-cell profiles. In a multi-factor model for CUA-risk, transitional B-cell proportions contributed independent from NK/T-cell ratio, change in anti-EBNA-1 IgG, and vitamin D supplementation. Transitional B-cells may predict treatment response in MS.

Clinically Isolated Syndrome and Early Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This article reviews management of clinically isolated syndrome and early relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). It provides a general approach to patient management and determination of prognosis, reviews first-line disease-modifying therapies, and provides an approach to treatment selection. RECENT FINDINGS: Revision of the MS diagnostic criteria allows an earlier MS diagnosis, which reduces diagnostic uncertainty and often allows additional treatment options. Identification of factors that influence disease activity and progression highlights the importance of counseling patients about behavior modifications that, along with disease-modifying therapy, may improve long-term outcomes. Recommended lifestyle modifications include smoking cessation, vitamin D supplementation, a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, remaining active, and management of cardiovascular risk factors. Identifying individuals at high risk for future disability allows them to make informed decisions about the use of highly effective, higher-risk disease-modifying therapies. SUMMARY: Patients with clinically isolated syndrome, even those with only dissemination in space but not dissemination in time, and patients with relapsing-remitting MS and disease activity within the prior 2 years, are at high risk of disease activity within the next 2 years. Lifestyle modification suggestions and disease-modifying therapy should be considered. Treatment decisions should be made in collaboration with patients using the shared decision-making approach.

Immune regulatory effects of high dose vitamin D3 supplementation in a randomized controlled trial in relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis patients receiving IFNß; the SOLARIUM study.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterized by a disturbed immune homeostasis and low serum vitamin D levels are associated with an increased disease activity. While vitamin D has been hypothesized to promote the maintenance of immune homeostasis, vitamin D supplementation could be of benefit to patients with MS. The SOLAR study investigated the effects of high dose vitamin D3 supplementation on clinical outcomes in a randomized controlled trial. Here we present the immune regulatory effects, investigated in the SOLARIUM sub-study. Thirty Dutch relapsing remitting (RR) MS patients treated with IFNß-1a received high dose vitamin D3 supplementation and 23 patients received placebo during a period of 48weeks. Lymphocytes were phenotypically characterized by flow cytometry and in vitro cytokine secretion was assessed in the presence or absence of 1,25(OH)2D3 using Luminex technology. Changes in immune regulatory parameters were determined within subjects as well as between treatment groups. The proportion of cells in the immune regulatory cell compartment (nTreg, iTreg and Breg) was not altered upon high dose vitamin D3 supplementation. Proportions of T helper subsets were not affected by vitamin D3, except for the proportion of IL4+ Th cells, which decreased in the placebo but not in the vitamin D3 group. T cell cytokine secretion increased, most pronounced for IL5 and latency activated protein of TGFß, in the placebo group but not in the vitamin D3 group. Lymphocytes remained equally reactive to in vitro 1,25(OH)2D3. In conclusion, high dose vitamin D3 supplementation did not result in a relative increase in lymphocytes with a regulatory phenotype. However, this study supports the hypothesis that vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of immune homeostasis by preventing further disturbance of the T cell compartment early in the disease course of MS.

Suppressive influence of seasonal influenza epidemic on Kawasaki disease onset.

  Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute systemic vasculitis presenting as an infantile febrile disease. In Japan, the widespread cedar plantation commenced in 1945 has been correlated with the increased incidences of both KD and allergic rhinitis (pollinosis) since the early 1960s. We previously showed that KD was a pollen-induced, delayed-type hypersensitivity that displays biphasic peaks in both summer and winter. KD incidences decrease suddenly around February, particularly after influenza epidemics. Here we investigated the reason for a drastic decrease in KD onsets directly before spring pollen release following rapid increase after autumn pollen release leading to the biphasic pattern. We separately analyzed weekly incidences of KD and influenza in Tokyo (1987-2010) and Kanagawa (1991-2002). Repeated measures for the analysis of variance followed by Bonferroni's multiple comparison tests were performed to compare KD incidence over 3 consecutive weeks, including the weeks when the mean KD prevalence showed the steepest decrease. Next, the week with peak influenza incidence was reset for each year. KD incidence over 3 consecutive weeks, including the new origin week (adjusted week 0), was similarly analyzed. In Tokyo and Kanagawa, KD incidence significantly decreased only after resetting the influenza peak time. These findings suggested that influenza epidemics suppressed KD onset.

A comparative study of matrix metalloproteinase and aggrecanase mediated release of latent cytokines at arthritic joints.

BACKGROUND: Latent cytokines are engineered by fusing the latency associated peptide (LAP) derived from transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) with the therapeutic cytokine, in this case interferon-ß (IFN-ß), via an inflammation-specific matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) cleavage site. OBJECTIVES: To demonstrate latency and specific delivery in vivo and to compare therapeutic efficacy of aggrecanase-mediated release of latent IFN-ß in arthritic joints to the original MMP-specific release. METHODS: Recombinant fusion proteins with MMP, aggrecanase or devoid of cleavage site were expressed in CHO cells, purified and characterised in vitro by Western blotting and anti-viral protection assays. Therapeutic efficacy and half-life were assessed in vivo using the mouse collagen-induced arthritis model (CIA) of rheumatoid arthritis and a model of acute paw inflammation, respectively. Transgenic mice with an IFN-regulated luciferase gene were used to assess latency in vivo and targeted delivery to sites of disease. RESULTS: Efficient localised delivery of IFN-ß to inflamed paws, with low levels of systemic delivery, was demonstrated in transgenic mice using latent IFN-ß. Engineering of latent IFN-ß with an aggrecanase-sensitive cleavage site resulted in efficient cleavage by ADAMTS-4, ADAMTS-5 and synovial fluid from arthritic patients, with an extended half-life similar to the MMP-specific molecule and greater therapeutic efficacy in the CIA model. CONCLUSIONS: Latent cytokines require cleavage in vivo for therapeutic efficacy, and they are delivered in a dose dependent fashion only to arthritic joints. The aggrecanase-specific cleavage site is a viable alternative to the MMP cleavage site for the targeting of latent cytokines to arthritic joints.

Evolution of cortical and thalamus atrophy and disability progression in early relapsing-remitting MS during 5 years.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Pathologic changes in GM have an important role in MS. We investigated the association between SDGM and cortical volume changes and disability progression in early RRMS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred eighty patients with RRMS had clinical assessment during 5 years and were divided into those with or without SDP at 5 years by the usual definition in treatment trials. The number of available MR imaging scans at various time points was the following: at baseline, 178; and at 6 months, 172; at 12 months, 175; at 24 months, 155; at 36 months, 160; at 48 months, 158; and at 60 months, 162, respectively. Longitudinal changes in cortical, GM, and WM volume were calculated by using the direct method. RESULTS: At 5 years, 90 patients with RRMS experienced SDP and 90 had stable disease. At baseline, patients with SDP had longer disease duration, greater T2-lesion volume, and smaller whole-brain, WM, cortical, and SDGM volume (P < .01). At 5 years, patients with SDP had significantly greater percentage decreases from baseline compared with those without SDP in the volume of the whole brain (P < .0001), cortex (P = .001), GM (P = .003), and thalamus (P = .01). In patients who developed SDP at 5 years and those who did not, mixed-effect models, adjusted for age, disease duration, and change of the treatment status, showed significant interactions between SDP status at 5 years and changes with time in whole-brain, cortical, lateral ventricle (all P < .001), thalamus (P = .006), and total SDGM (P = .0095) volume. CONCLUSIONS: SDP is associated with progression of cortical, central, and thalamic atrophy in early RRMS during 5 years.

Alpha-tocopherol and MRI outcomes in multiple sclerosis--association and prediction.

OBJECTIVE: Alpha-tocopherol is the main vitamin E compound in humans, and has important antioxidative and immunomodulatory properties. The aim of this study was to study alpha-tocopherol concentrations and their relationship to disease activity in Norwegian multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. METHODS: Prospective cohort study in 88 relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients, originally included in a randomised placebo-controlled trial of omega-3 fatty acids (the OFAMS study), before and during treatment with interferon beta. The patients were followed for two years with repeated 12 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and nine serum measurements of alpha-tocopherol. RESULTS: During interferon beta (IFNB) treatment, each 10 µmol/L increase in alpha-tocopherol reduced the odds (CI 95%) for simultaneous new T2 lesions by 36.8 (0.5-59.8) %, p = 0.048, and for combined unique activity by 35.4 (1.6-57.7) %, p = 0.042, in a hierarchical regression model. These associations were not significant prior to IFNB treatment, and were not noticeably changed by gender, age, body mass index, HLA-DRB1*15, treatment group, compliance, or the concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, retinol, neutralising antibodies against IFNB, or the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. The corresponding odds for having new T1 gadolinium enhancing lesions two months later was reduced by 65.4 (16.5-85.7) %, p = 0.019, and for new T2 lesions by 61.0 (12.4-82.6) %, p = 0.023. CONCLUSION: During treatment with IFNB, increasing serum concentrations of alpha-tocopherol were associated with reduced odds for simultaneous and subsequent MRI disease activity in RRMS patients.

Severe liver dysfunction possibly caused by the combination of interferon beta-1b therapy and melilot (sweet clover) supplement.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: We report a case of severe liver dysfunction exacerbated after interferon beta (IFNB)-1b injection in a patient with multiple sclerosis (MS) who had been taking a melilot (sweet clover) supplement. Although IFNB-1b therapy for MS can cause mild liver dysfunction, severe hepatotoxicity attributable to supplement use has been reported. CASE SUMMARY: A 23-year-old Japanese woman taking a melilot supplement containing coumarin at 10 mg/day for 3 years was admitted to our hospital to receive IFNB-1b therapy for MS. Fourteen days after subcutaneous injection of IFNB-1b every other day, her aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were elevated at 235 and 681 IU/L, respectively. After the discontinuation of IFNB-1b therapy and supplement intake, AST and ALT returned to normal levels. Later, she started receiving an intramuscular injection of IFNB-1a weekly without supplement intake. She was able to continue IFNB-1a therapy this time, showing a slight elevation of AST level at 61 IU/L. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: The combination of IFNB-1b therapy and melilot supplement intake may cause severe liver dysfunction in patients with MS. Given the doubtful value of the supplement, we suggest that it should be avoided by patients receiving interferon therapy.

ω-3 fatty acid treatment in multiple sclerosis (OFAMS Study): a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether ω-3 fatty acids reduce magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and clinical disease activity in patients with multiple sclerosis, both as monotherapy and in combination with interferon beta-1a treatment. DESIGN: Multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial conducted from 2004 to 2008. SETTING: Thirteen public neurology departments in Norway. PARTICIPANTS: Patients aged 18 to 55 years with active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, with a disability score equivalent to 5.0 or less on the Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale. Ninety-two patients were randomized to ω-3 fatty acids (n = 46) or placebo capsules (n = 46). INTERVENTIONS: Administration of 1350 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid and 850 mg of docosahexaenoic acid daily or placebo. After 6 months, all patients in addition received subcutaneously 44 µg of interferon beta-1a 3 times per week for another 18 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The primary outcome measure was MRI disease activity as measured by the number of new T1-weighted gadolinium-enhancing lesions during the first 6 months. Secondary outcome measures included MRI disease activity after 9 months and 24 months, relapse rate, disability progression, fatigue, quality of life, and safety. RESULTS: The cumulative number of gadolinium-enhancing MRI lesions during the first 6 months were similar in the ω-3 fatty acids and placebo groups (median difference, 1; 95% CI, 0 to 3; P = .09). No difference in relapse rate was detected after 6 (median difference, 0; 95% CI, 0 to 0; P = .54) or 24 (median difference, 0; 95% CI, 0 to 0; P = .72) months. The proportion of patients without disability progression was 70% in both groups (P > .99). No differences were detected in fatigue or quality-of-life scores, and no safety concerns appeared. Serum analyses of fatty acids showed an increase in ω-3 fatty acids (mean difference, 7.60; 95% CI, 5.57 to 7.91; P < .001) in the patients treated with ω-3 fatty acids compared with the placebo group. CONCLUSION: No beneficial effects on disease activity were detected from ω-3 fatty acids when compared with placebo as monotherapy or in combination with interferon beta-1a. Magnetic resonance imaging disease activity was reduced as expected by interferon beta-1a. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00360906.

Multimodal treatment, including interferon beta, of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in children and young adults: preliminary results from the prospective, multicenter study NPC-2003-GPOH/DCOG.

BACKGROUND: The authors report preliminary results from a prospective multicenter study (Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma [NPC] 2003 German Society of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology/German Children's Oncology Group [NPC-2003-GPOH/DCOG]). METHODS: From 2003 to 2010, 45 patients (ages 8-20 years), including 1 patient with stage II NPC and 44 patients with stage III/IV NPC, were recruited to the study. The patient with stage II disease received radiotherapy (59.4 grays [Gy]). The patients with stage III/IV disease received 3 courses of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil, and folinic acid. The cumulative irradiation dose was 54 Gy in 5 patients, who achieved complete remission after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and 59.4 Gy in the remaining 40 patients. All patients received concomitant cisplatin during the first week and last week of irradiation. After irradiation, all patients received interferon beta for 6 months. Tumor response was evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging studies and positron emission tomography scans. RESULTS: After the completion of treatment, 43 of 45 patients were in complete remission. In 2 patients, only a partial response was achieved, followed by distant metastases (1 patient) or local progression and distant metastases (1 patient), 6 months and 10 months after diagnosis, respectively. Another patient developed a solitary pelvic bone metastasis 21 months after diagnosis. After a median follow-up of 30 months (range, 6-95 months), the event-free survival rate was 92.4%, and the overall survival was 97.1%. Acute toxicity consisted mainly of leucopenia, mucositis, and nausea; and late toxicity consisted of hearing loss and hypothyroidism. CONCLUSIONS: Combined therapy with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, radiochemotherapy, and interferon beta was well tolerated and resulted in a very good outcome that was superior to the outcomes of published results from all other pediatric NPC study groups.

A randomised, double blind, placebo controlled trial with vitamin D3 as an add on treatment to interferon ß-1b in patients with multiple sclerosis.

OBJECTIVES: To study the safety and efficacy of vitamin D3 as an add on therapy to interferon ß-1b (IFNB) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). METHODS: 1 year, double blind, placebo controlled, randomised study in 66 MS patients. The primary outcomes were T2 burden of disease (BOD) on MRI scans, proportion of patients with serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) ≥85 nmol/l or intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) ≤20 ng/l, and number of adverse events. Secondary outcomes were number of MRI enhancing T1 lesions and new T2 lesions, annual relapse rate, changes in the Expanded Disability Status Scale score, timed 25 foot walk test and timed 10 foot tandem walk tests. RESULTS: Median change in BOD was 287 mm(3) in the placebo group and 83 mm(3) in the vitamin D group (p=0.105). Serum levels of 25(OH)D increased from a mean of 54 (range 19-82) nmol/l to 110 (range 67-163) nmol/l in the vitamin D group. 84% of patients reached a serum 25(OH)D level >85 nmol/l in the vitamin D group and 3% in the placebo group (p<0.0001). Patients in the vitamin D group showed fewer new T2 lesions (p=0.286) and a significantly lower number of T1 enhancing lesions (p=0.004), as well as a tendency to reduced disability accumulation (p=0.071) and to improved timed tandem walk (p=0.076). There were no significant differences in adverse events or in the annual relapse rate. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D3 add on treatment to IFNB reduces MRI disease activity in MS. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: EudraCT number 2007-001958-99 and ClinicalTrialsGov number NCT01339676.

Efficacy of vitamin D3 as add-on therapy in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis receiving subcutaneous interferon ß-1a: a Phase II, multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

Recent studies have demonstrated the immunomodulatory properties of vitamin D, and vitamin D deficiency may be a risk factor for the development of MS. The risk of developing MS has, in fact, been associated with rising latitudes, past exposure to sun and serum vitamin D status. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels have also been associated with relapses and disability progression. The identification of risk factors, such as vitamin D deficiency, in MS may provide an opportunity to improve current treatment strategies, through combination therapy with established MS treatments. Accordingly, vitamin D may play a role in MS therapy. Small clinical studies of vitamin D supplementation in patients with MS have reported positive immunomodulatory effects, reduced relapse rates and a reduction in the number of gadolinium-enhancing lesions. However, large randomized clinical trials of vitamin D supplementation in patients with MS are lacking. SOLAR (Supplementation of VigantOL(®) oil versus placebo as Add-on in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis receiving Rebif(®) treatment) is a 96-week, three-arm, multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, Phase II trial (NCT01285401). SOLAR will evaluate the efficacy of vitamin D(3) as add-on therapy to subcutaneous interferon beta-1a in patients with RRMS. Recruitment began in February 2011 and is aimed to take place over 1 calendar year due to the potential influence of seasonal differences in 25(OH)D levels.

Atorvastatin combined to interferon to verify the efficacy (ACTIVE) in relapsing-remitting active multiple sclerosis patients: a longitudinal controlled trial of combination therapy.

A large body of evidence suggests that, besides their cholesterol-lowering effect, statins exert anti-inflammatory action. Consequently, statins may have therapeutic potential in immune-mediated disorders such as multiple sclerosis. Our objectives were to determine safety, tolerability and efficacy of low-dose atorvastatin plus high-dose interferon beta-1a in multiple sclerosis patients responding poorly to interferon beta-1a alone. Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients, aged 18-50 years, with contrast-enhanced lesions or relapses while on therapy with interferon beta-1a 44 microg (three times weekly) for 12 months, were randomized to combination therapy (interferon + atorvastatin 20 mg per day; group A) or interferon alone (group B) for 24 months. Patients underwent blood analysis and clinical assessment with the Expanded Disability Status Scale every 3 months, and brain gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging at screening, and 12 and 24 months thereafter. Primary outcome measure was contrast-enhanced lesion number. Secondary outcome measures were number of relapses, EDSS variation and safety laboratory data. Forty-five patients were randomized to group A (n = 21) or B (n = 24). At 24 months, group A had significantly fewer contrast-enhanced lesions versus baseline (p = 0.007) and significantly fewer relapses versus the two pre-randomization years (p < 0.001). At survival analysis, the risk for a 1-point EDSS increase was slightly higher in group B than in group A (p = 0.053). Low-dose atorvastatin may be beneficial, as add-on therapy, in poor responders to high-dose interferon beta-1a alone.

The effects of interferon beta-1a on proton MR spectroscopic imaging in patients with multiple sclerosis, a controlled study, preliminary results.

To evaluate the effects of interferon beta-1a(INFbeta-1a) on brain metabolites in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), we performed Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Imaging (MRSI) on five patients treated with INFbeta-1a (Rebif 44 microg), and on five untreated patients. Six healthy volunteers were used as controls. Patients were evaluated at the beginning, in the first, third, sixth, and twelfth month. There were no significant differences in normal appearing white matter (NAWM) metabolite peaks of the control group and patients with MS. However, in white matter lesions (WML) and NAWM there was significant differences between the basal and the other months' metabolic peaks (p < 0.05) in the treatment group although no differences emerged in the untreated group. These data suggest that INFbeta-1a has a favorable effect on restoration of metabolites in MS lesions.

Atorvastatin decreases high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in multiple sclerosis.

The anti-inflammatory potential of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors, as reflected by modulation of C-reactive protein (CRP), might be beneficial in the treatment of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). We evaluated serum levels of high-sensitivity (hs)-CRP in relapsing-remitting MS patients receiving interferon-beta 1b and atorvastatin as add-on therapy. This study shows that interferon-beta treatment is associated with increased serum levels of hs-CRP in MS patients (P<0.01). In contrast, when atorvastatin is added to interferon-beta, hs-CRP serum levels decrease to the normal range (P<0.05), indicating an anti-inflammatory action of atorvastatin in MS. However, whether add-on treatment with atorvastatin modifies the course of MS remains to be investigated.

Interferon beta therapy increases serum ferritin levels in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Serum ferritin levels have been found to be increased in patients with active progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). However, its levels are reported to be unchanged in stable and in active relapsing-remitting (RR) form of the disease. No research to date has assessed the influence of interferon beta (IFN-beta) on ferritin concentrations. In this study, serum ferritin levels were measured in 43 individuals with RR-MS and 38 age- and sex-matched control volunteers. There were no significant differences between controls and patients under stable and untreated conditions. In patients at 12 months after the beginning of IFN-beta therapy, ferritin levels were higher in women and in men, in comparison with baseline (71.4 +/- 58.6 vs 43.4 +/- 29.9 ng/mL, P = 0.0006 and 216.0 +/- 124.3 vs 127.8 +/- 74.9 ng/mL, P = 0.0022, respectively). These results suggest that larger prospective studies are required to evaluate the role of serum ferritin in MS and its potential usefulness in monitoring responses to immunomodulatory therapies.