title: Increased urinary neopterin: creatinine ratio as a marker of activation of cell-mediated immunity and oxidative stress in the Iranian patients with multiple sclerosis.
abstract: Neopterin, a pyrazinopyrimidine compound, is produced by macrophages after induction by interferon gamma (IFN-g) and serves as a marker of cellular immune system activation followed by oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to determine urinary neopterin to creatinine ratio (UNCR) as a surrogate marker of cell-mediated immune activation in multiple sclerosis (MS). Three weekly early morning urine samples were collected from 27 patients with MS and 31 age- and sex-matched apparently healthy subjects. Urinary neopterin and creatinine were determined using reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography and Jaffe reaction, respectively. UNCR was significantly higher in patients than in healthy controls indicating IFN-g-induced cellular immunity activation and oxidative stress in multiple sclerosis. As a non-invasive method, UNCR determination may be helpful in monitoring disease progression and the effects of therapies, as well.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Nutrition Research, National Institute of Nutrition Research and Food Technology, Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Khorami
authors.forename: Tr
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Neyestani
authors.forename: Mehri
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kadkhodaee
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lotfi