title: INF-β1b therapy modulates L-arginine and nitric oxide metabolism in patients with relapse remittent multiple sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The scope of this study is the examination of NO(2)+NO(3), 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT), S-nitrosothiols (RSNO), arginase activity and asymmetric (ADMA) and symmetric (SDMA) dimethyl-L-arginine concentrations in plasma of MS patients during interferon-β1b therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population included 15 (12 women, 3 men) untreated MS patients and 12 (10 women, 2 men) interferon-β1b treated MS patients with clinically definite relapsing MS (McDonalds criteria) for at least 1 year and a baseline EDSS score of 1.0 to 3.5 inclusive. Patients were treated with 250 μg IU interferon-β1b s.c. every second day during 30 months. The disease course was evaluated using correlations between baseline EDSS score and relapse rates in both groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During interferon-β1b treatment, EDSS scores in treated patients were decreased compared to untreated ones - after 18 and 30 months (p<0.05). In interferon-β1b treated MS patients, NO(2)+NO(3), 3-NT and RSNO plasma concentrations were significantly lower (p<0.05), while arginase activity, ADMA and SDMA levels were significantly increased (p<0.05) during the therapy, compared to the baseline levels in treated patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The investigated parameters may be the new biomarkers, providing information for the therapeutic approach and valuable in clinical monitoring.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Nis, Bul. Dr Zorana Djindjica, 81, 18000 Nis, Serbia. stojanovicivana38@gmail.com
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Stojanovic
authors.forename: Slobodan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vojinovic
authors.forename: Srdjan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ljubisavljevic
authors.forename: Radmila
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pavlovic
authors.forename: Jelena
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Basic
authors.forename: Dusica
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pavlovic
authors.forename: Andjelka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ilic
authors.forename: Tatjana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cvetkovic
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stukalov
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001119:Arginase / Q000097:blood; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009566:Nitrates / Q000097:blood; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood*; D009573:Nitrites / Q000097:blood; D009603:Nitroso Compounds / Q000097:blood; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000097:blood; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D009603:Nitroso Compounds; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C002744:3-nitrotyrosine; D014443:Tyrosine; C024917:symmetric dimethylarginine; C018524:N,N-dimethylarginine; D016899:Interferon-beta; D001120:Arginine; D001119:Arginase