Blood test could help track multiple sclerosis progression

Researchers in Turku have identified a blood biomarker that may indicate activity in the brains of people with multiple sclerosis (MS), Yle reports. The finding could eventually make it possible to monitor the disease’s progression with blood tests.

The researchers found that levels of the enzyme chitotriosidase in blood serum were higher in people with progressive MS than in those with relapsing-remitting MS. The marker could offer a new way to assess inflammation linked to the disease’s progression.

MS is an incurable disease of the central nervous system that can affect young adults’ mobility and ability to function. It involves an inflammatory response in which the body’s immune cells damage nerve tissue. The disease often begins with relapses, and in some patients it develops into a progressive form associated with inflammation that persists in the brain.

Doctoral researcher Venla Ahola said in a University of Turku statement that chitotriosidase has previously been measured mainly in cerebrospinal fluid, where levels have been shown to predict disease progression. The blood-based findings could eventually help identify patients who might benefit from medicines targeting persistent inflammation, and could also be used to monitor treatment effects in drug studies.

The results need to be confirmed in further research. PET imaging is currently the most accurate method for measuring brain inflammation that contributes to MS progression, but it is expensive, technically demanding and burdensome for patients. Researchers are therefore looking for markers measurable in blood or cerebrospinal fluid.