High-sensitive biomarker detection in MS via novel ELISA assay

A high-sensitive technique to detect antibodies to lipids in MS patients was developed. Analysis showd IgM-PC as the most sensitive MS biomarker so far[1].

Serum samples of 362 MS patients were collected

The detection of specific antibodies reacting with lipids in myelin, the main target in MS, has been troublesome due to technical issues and antibody parameters in serum samples of MS patients. Therefore, the current study aimed to develop a high-sensitive technique to detect antibodies to lipids in MS patients. Further, IgM and IgG antibodies in reaction with PC or lactosylceramide (LC) were assessed as potential biomarkers in these patients.

The team collected serum samples of 362 MS patients (clinically isolated syndrome, primary progressive, relapsing-remitting, secondary progressive, benign), 80 control subjects, and 10 patients with non-MS myelin diseases. The results were presented by Prof. Maria Cruz Sádaba (Private University San Pablo CEU, Spain). The novel ultrasensitive ELISA assay, developed by the researchers, was able to significantly differentiate between the levels of IgM-PC in MS patients (optical density (OD) mean 0.192) and control subjects (OD mean 0.078, P=0.001).

Furthermore, the tool was able to distinguish between patients with clinically isolated syndrome (OD mean 0.281) and relapsing-remitting disease (OD mean 0.244) on the one hand, and patients with progressive forms of the disease on the other hand (primary progressive OD mean 0.170; secondary progressive OD mean 0.200). IgG-PC, IgG-LC, and IgM-LC levels did not differ between MS patients and controls.