Multiple sclerosis: Neurofilament light chain antibodies are correlated to cerebral atrophy.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate markers of axonal damage in CSF and serum of patients with different subtypes of MS in relation to measures of disease progression on MRI.


METHODS
In 51 patients with MS (21 relapsing-remitting, 20 secondary progressive, 10 primary progressive), levels of heavy and light neurofilaments (NfH and NfL) and antibodies to neurofilaments (anti-NfL and -NfH) as well as the total immunoglobulin G (IgG) were analyzed. MRI analysis included T2 hyperintense, T1 hypointense, and gadolinium enhancing lesions and markers of cerebral atrophy (ventricular and parenchymal fractions).


RESULTS
For the total group, correlations were found between the anti-NfL index and the parenchymal fraction (PF) (r = -0.51, p < 0.001), T2 lesion load (r = 0.41, p < 0.05), ventricular fraction (r = 0.37, p < 0.05), and T1 lesion load (r = 0.37, p < 0.05). For the anti-NfH index, a correlation was found with the PF (r = -0.39, p < 0.05). No correlations were found between the IgG index and MRI measures.


CONCLUSIONS
Intrathecal production of anti-NfL antibodies may serve as a marker of tissue damage, particularly axonal loss, in MS.
Eikelenboom
M J
MJ
Department of Neurology, VU Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. j.eikelenboom@vumc.nl
Petzold
A
A
Lazeron
R H C
RH
Silber
E
E
Sharief
M
M
Thompson
E J
EJ
Barkhof
F
F
Giovannoni
G
G
Polman
C H
CH
Uitdehaag
B M J
BM
D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D020528:Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests
D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins; C044882:neurofilament protein L; C051774:neurofilament protein H; D005682:Gadolinium