Abstract
Applying different technologies to monitor disease activity and treatment efficacy are essential in a complex disease such as multiple sclerosis. Combining current assays with flow cytometry could create a powerful tool for such analyses. The cell surface expression level of CD74, the MHC class II invariant chain, is a potential disease biomarker that could be monitored by FACS analysis in order to assess disease progression and the clinical efficacy of partial MHC class II constructs in treating MS. These constructs, which can bind to and down-regulate CD74 cell-surface expression on monocytes and inhibit macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) effects, can reverse clinical and histological signs of EAE. These properties of partial class II constructs are highly compatible with a flow cytometry approach for monitoring CD74 expression as a possible biomarker for disease activity/progression and as a treatment response marker.
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Acknowledgments
This work was supported by NIH grants NS47661 (to AAV), National Multiple Sclerosis Society grant RG3794-B-6 (to AAV), postdoctoral fellowship from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (to GB) and the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Office of Research and Development, Biomedical Laboratory Research and Development. The contents do not represent the views of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States Government.
Conflict of interest
Drs. Vandenbark, Benedek, Meza-Romero and OHSU have a significant financial interest in Artielle ImmunoTherapeutics, Inc., a company that may have a commercial interest in the results of this research and technology. This potential conflict of interest has been reviewed and managed by the OHSU and VAMC Conflict of Interest in Research Committees.
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Benedek, G., Meza-Romero, R., Bourdette, D. et al. The use of flow cytometry to assess a novel drug efficacy in multiple sclerosis. Metab Brain Dis 30, 877–884 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-014-9634-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-014-9634-0