PRO-INFLAMMATORY CYTOKINE AND CHEMOKINE MRNA BLOOD LEVEL IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS IS RELATED TO TREATMENT RESPONSE AND INTERFERON-BETA DOSE

Of 37 multiple sclerosis patients, 19 suboptimal responders were randomized to 375 (n=12) or 250 μg (n=7) interferon (IFN)-β-1b. mRNA levels of 23 cytokines, chemokines, and chemokine receptors were quantified by TaqMan® low-density array (TLDA) real-time polymerase chain reaction. Better treatment responses or increased IFN-β doses were associated with elevated IL-10 and TGF-β and decreased CXCL10, IL-18, IFN-γ, and TNF-α transcript levels. Adjusting for dose, poor treatment responses resulted in a 4-fold increase in CXCL10 and IFN-γ expression (Mantel-Haenszel RR=3.74, pb0.0001). CXCL10 and IFN-γ mRNA levels were reliable indicators of treatment response. TLDA can be used to tailor IFN-β-1b therapy.