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Is serum neopterin level a marker of responsiveness to interferon beta‐1a therapy in multiple sclerosis?
Author(s) -
Casoni F.,
Merelli E.,
Bedin R.,
Sola P.,
Bertolotto A.,
Faglioni P.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
acta neurologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.967
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1600-0404
pISSN - 0001-6314
DOI - 10.1046/j.1600-0404.2003.00177.x
Subject(s) - neopterin , medicine , multiple sclerosis , interferon beta 1b , gastroenterology , immunology , interferon beta
Background – Interferon beta (INF β ) may induce the expression of several proteins, including neopterin, considered a biological marker of INF β activity. Objectives – The aim of this study was to determine the serum neopterin concentration at the beginning of, and during, IFN β ‐1a therapy in relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (r–r MS) patients, and to look for a possible correlation between protein synthesis and the clinical course of the disease. Methods – Thirteen r–r MS patients were treated with INF β ‐1a (i.m. 6 MIU/week) for 2 years. Blood samples for neopterin determinations were taken daily over a period of 1 week at the end of each 6 months of therapy, and tested for neutralizing antibodies (NABs). Results – Neopterin levels peaked 24–48 h post‐injection and returned to baseline after 120 h. After 1 year of therapy, four patients dropped out of the study because of progression of the disease: in these subjects a significant decrement of neopterin was observed. Conclusion – Neopterin baseline values were not found to decrease over the 2 years of therapy, and neopterin may be considered to be a useful marker of responsiveness to IFN β .