Mahnoosh Rahimi1, Sarah Saadat Aghabozorg Afjeh1, Mir Davood Omrani1,2, Shahram Arsang-Jang3, Maziar Ganji1, Rezvan Noroozi4, Mohammad Taheri1,2, Soudeh Ghafouri-Fard1,2. 1. Department of Medical Genetics, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 2. Urogenital Stem Cell Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 3. Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 4. Phytochemistry research center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the central nervous system. Considering the role of immune system in its pathogenesis, researchers have focused on evaluation of the expression of immune-related genes or proteins in MS patients. Among proteins whose participation in inflammatory process has been documented is the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE). METHODS: In the present study, we compared RAGE transcript levels by means of quantitative real-time PCR as well as the serum level of soluble RAGE (sRAGE) by means of enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 50 IFNβ-1a responsive relapsing-remitting MS patients when compared with age and sex-matched healthy subjects. RESULTS: Elevated expression of RAGE as well as higher levels of sRAGE were detected in IFN-β responsive MS patients compared with the controls. A significant inverse correlation between sRAGE plasma concentrations and the expanded disability status scale (EDSS) was also detected in which each unit of increase in sRAGE level resulted in a 0.308 unit decrease in EDSS. CONCLUSION: Considering the stable clinical state of the MS patients in this study and their response to IFNβ-1a, the elevated levels of sRAGE in patients compared with healthy subjects could be related to the effects of this kind of treatment.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the central nervous system. Considering the role of immune system in its pathogenesis, researchers have focused on evaluation of the expression of immune-related genes or proteins in MSpatients. Among proteins whose participation in inflammatory process has been documented is the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE). METHODS: In the present study, we compared RAGE transcript levels by means of quantitative real-time PCR as well as the serum level of soluble RAGE (sRAGE) by means of enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 50 IFNβ-1a responsive relapsing-remitting MSpatients when compared with age and sex-matched healthy subjects. RESULTS: Elevated expression of RAGE as well as higher levels of sRAGE were detected in IFN-β responsive MSpatients compared with the controls. A significant inverse correlation between sRAGE plasma concentrations and the expanded disability status scale (EDSS) was also detected in which each unit of increase in sRAGE level resulted in a 0.308 unit decrease in EDSS. CONCLUSION: Considering the stable clinical state of the MSpatients in this study and their response to IFNβ-1a, the elevated levels of sRAGE in patients compared with healthy subjects could be related to the effects of this kind of treatment.