MicroRNAs and their use as biomarkers in clinically isolated syndrome and multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS), is thought to be caused by an overreactive proinflammatory response and as a lack of anti-inflammatory response. This leads to infiltration of immune cells into the CNS and local destruction of the myelin sheaths, oligodendrocytes and the blood-brain-barrier. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, non-coding RNA molecules which are involved in a number of biological processes including the immune system. So far, no specific MS biomarkers have been identified. We aimed at investigating whether miRNAs can be used as potential MS biomarkers in order to diagnose, predict prognosis and treatment effect of MS and clinically isolated syndrome (CIS).