Key points:
- Researchers have identified a biomarker that could differentiate an MS-like illness from other similar versions.
- The discovery hinges on a specific antibody, a type of immunoglobulin A found in one specific group of patients.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) can cause a variety of neurological symptoms, like paresthesia and paralysis of the limbs, which progressively or abruptly worsen. But which parts of the nervous system are affected varies substantially between individuals—as does treatment. The same treatment that works for some patients can make the condition worse in others.
Over the past decade, researchers have been gradually uncovering the key distinctive features of atypical cases of MS. Now, scientists at the University of Basel have taken another step forward, discovering a biomarker that may make it possible to differentiate another MS-like illness from the others.
For their study, published in JAMA Neurology, researches worked with approximately 1,300 patients. They discovered a specific antibody, a type of immunoglobulin A (IgA), in one group of patients. The antibody attacks a component of the myelin sheath called “MOG,” or myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein. IgA antibodies are typically responsible for protecting mucous membranes.
The precise role of MOG-IgA in this autoimmune disease remains unclear, however.
“Victims experience inflammation particularly in their spinal cords and brain stems,” said study author Anne-Katrin Pröbstel of the University of Basel and University Hospital Basel. “This group of patients was missing other typical biomarkers related to MS or similar diseases.”
Next, the researchers want to decipher the role of MOG-IgA and the clinical characteristics arising from it in more detail.
“By distinguishing between myelin-destroying autoimmune diseases that were previously all called MS, we’re taking an important step toward a better understanding of the causes of these illnesses and toward individualized treatments,” said Pröbstel.
Ultimately, the researchers hope to discover what treatments are most effective under what conditions.