Interferon-beta regulates excessive alternative splicing in multiple sclerosis

A new study found extensive alternative splicing of messenger RNA in the blood cells of untreated multiple sclerosis patients compared to healthy controls. The study, which showed that highly dysregulated alternative splicing was largely corrected by interferon-ß (IFN- ß) therapy, is published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Interferon & Cytokine Research (JICR). Click here to read the article now.

Anthony Reder and Xuan Feng, from the University of Chicago Department of Medicine, and coauthors, reported that during long-term IFN- ß therapy, multiple sclerosis exacerbations were linked to more dysregulated alternative splicing. Furthermore, alternative splicing predicted future clinical exacerbations.

“Alternative splicing is a potential biomarker warning of disease activity and for predicting therapeutic response to IFN- ß treatment,” stated the investigators. “Alternative splicing in multiple sclerosis suggests new directions for investigation of disease mechanisms, therapeutic monitoring, and drug choices in multiple sclerosis and in autoimmune and viral diseases.”

“These novel findings demonstrate that measurement of alternatively spliced mRNA transcript levels in blood leukocytes from patients with multiple sclerosis may help to predict clinical responsiveness to IFN-b therapy,” says Journal of Interferon & Cytokine Research Executive Editor Raymond Donnelly, PhD.

About the Journal
Journal of Interferon & Cytokine Research (JICR) is an authoritative peer-reviewed journal published monthly online with open access options and in print that covers all aspects of interferons and cytokines from basic science to clinical applications. Journal of Interferon & Cytokine Research is an official journal of the International Cytokine & Interferon Society. Complete tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed on the JICR website.

About the Publisher
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. is a global media company dedicated to creating, curating, and delivering impactful peer-reviewed research and authoritative content services to advance the fields of biotechnology and the life sciences, specialized clinical medicine, and public health and policy. For complete information, please visit the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. website.