Molecular Biomarkers in Multiple Sclerosis and Its Related Disorders: A Critical Review

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system (CNS) which can lead to severe disability. Several diseases can mimic the clinical manifestations of MS. This can often lead to a prolonged period that involves numerous tests and investigations before a definitive diagnosis is reached. As well as the possibility of misdiagnosis. Molecular biomarkers can play a unique role in this regard. Molecular biomarkers offer a unique view into the CNS disorders. They help us understand the pathophysiology of disease as well as guiding our diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic approaches in CNS disorders. This review highlights the most prominent molecular biomarkers found in the literature with respect to MS and its related disorders. Based on numerous recent clinical and experimental studies, we demonstrate that several molecular biomarkers could very well aid us in differentiating MS from its related disorders. The implications of this work will hopefully serve clinicians and researchers alike, who regularly deal with MS and its related disorders.

Multiple Sclerosis Revealed by Anterior Uveitis

“…The diagnosis is based on the criteria of Macdonald 2017 [4], which above all clinical, reinforced by radiological examinations including cerebral-medular MRI with the study of cerebrospinal fluid. Recently, it has been suggested that the levels of complement specific proteins such as C1q, C3d, and C5b-9 in serum and CSF could potentially serve as new biomarkers to diagnose different MS subtypes and determine the activity of disease [5].…”

Multiple sclerosis and computational biology (Review)

“…These biomarkers can have several applications, such as the diagnosis of diseases in very early stages, monitoring disease activity, assessing treatment response, and being potential drug targets for novel treatment strategies (77). As regards diagnosis specifically, molecular biomarkers may also help clinicians differentiate MS from other CNS-associated disorders, thus avoiding misdiagnoses (78). Some researchers have already established biomarkers for MS, including CSF biomarkers such as neurofilaments, chitinases, soluble cell surface receptors from microglia and macrophages, and oligoclonal immunoglobulin M antibodies (79).…”

The Pathological Mechanism and Potential Application of IL-38 in Autoimmune Diseases

“…MS, a chronic autoimmune inflammatory illness, can affect the CNS and result in severe disability ( Gul et al, 2020 ). The typical clinical symptoms of MS are characterized by weakness, sensory loss, diplopia, decreased vision, etc ( Cunniffe and Coles, 2021 ).…”