Concentrations of nitric oxide metabolites in the serum of Iranian multiple sclerosis patients

Effect of Whole-Body Cryotherapy on Oxidant-Antioxidant Imbalance in Women with Multiple Sclerosis

The aim of the study was to investigate whether 20 whole-body cryotherapy treatments have an effect on oxidative-antioxidant imbalances in women with multiple sclerosis. Fifty women aged 30-55 were examined: study group-15 women with multiple sclerosis, subjected to whole-body cryotherapy; first control group-20 women with multiple sclerosis who did not receive cryotherapy intervention; second control group-15 healthy women who participated in cryotherapy treatments. Blood from the examined women was collected twice (before and after the series of 20 cryotherapy sessions). An insignificant increase in the total antioxidant capacity (study group: p = 0.706; second control group: p = 0.602) was observed after the whole-body cryotherapy intervention. After the series of cryotherapy sessions, the total oxidative status/total oxidative capacity value was insignificantly decreased among the multiple sclerosis patients (decrease by 14.03%, p = 0.495). In women with multiple sclerosis, no significant cryotherapy impact was demonstrated on changes in the oxidant-antioxidant imbalance or concentrations of nitric oxide, uric acid, or matrix metalloproteinase-9.

Exploring the Role of Neurotransmitters in Multiple Sclerosis: An Expanded Review

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory and neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Although emerging evidence has shown that changes in neurotransmitter levels in the synaptic gap may contribute to the pathophysiology of MS, their specific role has not been elucidated yet. In this review, we aim to analyze preclinical and clinical evidence on the structural and functional changes in neurotransmitters in MS and critically discuss their potential role in MS pathophysiology. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that alterations in glutamate metabolism may contribute to MS pathophysiology, by causing excitotoxic neuronal damage. Dysregulated interaction between glutamate and GABA results in synaptic loss. The GABAergic system also plays an important role, by regulating the activity and plasticity of neural networks. Targeting GABAergic/glutamatergic transmission may be effective in fatigue and cognitive impairment in MS. Acetylcholine (ACh) and dopamine can also affect the T-mediated inflammatory responses, thereby being implicated in MS-related neuroinflammation. Also, melatonin might affect the frequency of relapses in MS, by regulating the sleep-wake cycle. Increased levels of nitric oxide in inflammatory lesions of MS patients may be also associated with axonal neuronal degeneration. Therefore, neurotransmitter imbalance may be critically implicated in MS pathophysiology, and future studies are needed for our deeper understanding of their role in MS.

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS3) rs2070744 polymorphism and risk for multiple sclerosis

The possible role of oxidative stress and nitric oxide (NO) in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS) has been suggested by several neuropathological, biochemical, and experimental data. Because the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs2070744 in the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS or NOS3) gene (chromosome 7q36.1) showed association with the risk for MS in Iranians, we attempted to replicate the possible association between this SNP and the risk for MS in the Caucasian Spanish population. The frequencies of NOS3rs2070744 genotypes and allelic variants in 300 patients diagnosed with MS and 380 healthy controls were assessed with a TaqMan-based qPCR assay. The possible influence of the genotype frequency on age at onset of MS, the severity of MS, clinical evolutive subtypes of MS, and HLA-DRB1*1501 genotype were also analyzed. The frequencies of rs2070744 genotypes and allelic variants were not associated with the risk of developing MS and were not influenced by gender, age at onset and severity of MS, the clinical subtype of MS or the HLA-DRB1*1501 genotype. This study found a lack of association between NOS3 rs2070744 SNP and the risk for MS in Caucasian Spanish people.

Assessment of Serum Nitrogen Species and Inflammatory Parameters in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Patients Treated with Different Therapeutic Approaches

The role of nitric oxide and its reactive derivatives (NO _x ) is well known in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis, which is an inflammatory disease while NO _x seems to be important in coordinating inflammatory response. The purpose of the present study was to assess serum NO _x as one of the nitrogen species and inflammatory parameters in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients and to compare the effectiveness of various types of disease-modifying therapies that reduce nitric oxide and inflammatory biomarkers. Elevated NO _x level was observed in patients who received the first-line disease-modifying therapy (interferons beta-1a and beta-1b) in comparison with the subjects treated with the second-line disease-modifying therapy (natalizumab; fingolimod) and healthy controls without significant differences in C-reactive protein and interleukin-1 beta. A negative correlation was observed between serum NO _x level and the duration of multiple sclerosis confirmed in the whole study population and in subjects treated with the first-line agents. Only serum NO _x , concentration could reveal a potential efficacy of disease-modifying therapy with a better reduction in NO _x level due to the second-line agents of disease-modifying therapy.

The importance of nitric oxide and arginase in the pathogenesis of acute neuroinflammation: are those contra players with the same direction?

To investigate the concentrations of nitric oxide (NO) products (NOx) and arginase activity in acute neuroinflammation, we analyzed cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma of clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) and relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients, who were divided into groups on the basis of clinical and radiological disease activity. The NOx levels, in both, CSF and plasma, were increased in CIS (p = 0.0015, p = 0.0014, respectively) and RRMS group (p = 0.002, p = 0.0019, respectively), while arginase activity approached low levels, in CIS (p = 0.009, p = 0.02, respectively) and RRMS group (p = 0.018, p = 0.034, respectively) compared to controls. The NOx levels were higher in CSF and plasma of CIS than in RRMS group (p = 0.065, p = 0.037, respectively), inverse to arginase activity which was higher, in CSF and plasma, in RRMS than in CIS group (p = 0.031, p = 0.02, respectively). The CSF and plasma NOx values positively correlated with the clinical disease activity in CIS (r = 0.09, p = 0.81; r = 0.45, p = 0.023, respectively) and RRMS group (r = 0.311, p = 0.04; r = 0.512, p = 0.01, respectively). Also, CSF and plasma arginase activity showed negative correlation with clinical disease activity in CIS (r = 0.39, p = 0.03; r = 0.1, p = 0.65, respectively) and RRMS group (r = 0.43, p = 0.03; r = 0.62, p = 0.015, respectively). The CSF NOx levels showed positive correlation with volume of acute radiological lesions of CNS in CIS (r = 0.25, p = 0.045) and RRMS group (r = 0.31, p = 0.04), while arginase activity showed the negative correlations in CIS (r = 0.41; p = 0.035) and RRMS group (r = 0.52, p = 0.022). The results support NO and arginase involvement in the pathogenesis of acute neuroinflammation, which determination may be useful as surrogate markers for clinical and radiological disease activity.

INF-β1b therapy modulates L-arginine and nitric oxide metabolism in patients with relapse remittent multiple sclerosis

OBJECTIVE

The scope of this study is the examination of NO(2)+NO(3), 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT), S-nitrosothiols (RSNO), arginase activity and asymmetric (ADMA) and symmetric (SDMA) dimethyl-L-arginine concentrations in plasma of MS patients during interferon-β1b therapy.

METHODS

The study population included 15 (12 women, 3 men) untreated MS patients and 12 (10 women, 2 men) interferon-β1b treated MS patients with clinically definite relapsing MS (McDonalds criteria) for at least 1 year and a baseline EDSS score of 1.0 to 3.5 inclusive. Patients were treated with 250 μg IU interferon-β1b s.c. every second day during 30 months. The disease course was evaluated using correlations between baseline EDSS score and relapse rates in both groups.

RESULTS

During interferon-β1b treatment, EDSS scores in treated patients were decreased compared to untreated ones - after 18 and 30 months (p<0.05). In interferon-β1b treated MS patients, NO(2)+NO(3), 3-NT and RSNO plasma concentrations were significantly lower (p<0.05), while arginase activity, ADMA and SDMA levels were significantly increased (p<0.05) during the therapy, compared to the baseline levels in treated patients.

CONCLUSION

The investigated parameters may be the new biomarkers, providing information for the therapeutic approach and valuable in clinical monitoring.