Serum levels of IL-17A in patients with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis treated with interferon-β

• Published in: Multiple sclerosis Vol. 19; no. 7; pp. 885 - 890
• Main Authors: Bălaşa, Rodica, Bajko, Zoltan, Huţanu, Adina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.06.2013; Sage Publications
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Drug Resistance; Female; Humans; Immunologic Factors - therapeutic use; Interferon-beta - therapeutic use; Interleukin-17 - blood; Male; Medical sciences; Multiple sclerosis and variants. Guillain barré syndrome and other inflammatory polyneuropathies. Leukoencephalitis; Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting - blood; Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting - drug therapy; Neurology; Multiple sclerosis; interleukin-17; binding antibodies to interferon; nonresponder to interferon-β; interferon-β treatment; Human; Nervous system diseases; Interleukin; Cytokine; Inflammatory disease; Treatment; Central nervous system disease; Interferon; Degenerative disease
• DOI: 10.1177/1352458512468497
• ISSN: 1352-4585; 1477-0970

Background: Interleukin-17 (IL-17), which is secreted by Th17 cells, is a proinflammatory cytokine that is implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS) and plays a role in nonresponse of MS patients to interferon-β (IFN-β) therapy. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to establish a correlation between nonresponders (NR) and IL-17A serum titers and binding antibodies (BAbs) to IFN-β, as well as to find a correlation between IL-17A serum levels and other features of MS patients. Methods: Our prospective study included 72 inactive relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients that had been treated for at least 18 months with IFN-β and 15 healthy subjects. We determined the serum levels of IL-17A and of BAbs. IL-17A levels were considered elevated (IL-17A+) if the recorded value was greater than 1.6 pg/ml. Results: Twenty-seven patients (37.5%) were NR and had a significantly higher serum IL-17A level compared to the responders group. Nineteen patients (26.4%) were IL-17A+ and had had a significantly higher number of relapses in the previous year and a higher Expanded Disability Status Score. The majority of IL-17A+ patients were NR and had a shorter MS duration. Conclusions: RRMS patients with high serum IL-17A levels do not respond well to IFN-β therapy and have shorter MS duration compared to patients with low IL-17A levels. This response is not influenced by the presence of BAbs.