title: IFN-β and multiple sclerosis: from etiology to therapy and back.
abstract: Several immunomodulatory treatments are currently available for relapsing-remitting forms of multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Interferon beta (IFN) was the first therapeutic intervention able to modify the course of the disease and it is still the most used first-line treatment in RRMS. Though two decades have passed since IFN-β was introduced in the management of MS, it remains a valid approach because of its good benefit/risk profile. This is witnessed by new efforts of pharmaceutical industry to improve this line: a PEGylated form of subcutaneous IFN-β 1a, (Plegridy(®)) with a longer half-life, has been recently approved in RRMS. This review will survey the various stages of the use of type I IFN in MS, with special attention to the effect of the treatment on the supposed viral etiologic factors associated to the disease. The antiviral activities of IFN (that initially prompted its use as immunomodulatory agent in MS), and the mounting evidences in favor of a viral etiology in MS, allowed us to outline a re-appraisal from etiology to therapy and back.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Experimental Neurological Therapies (CENTERS), Neurology and Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Annibali
authors.affiliation: Centre for Experimental Neurological Therapies (CENTERS), Neurology and Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mechelli
authors.affiliation: Centre for Experimental Neurological Therapies (CENTERS), Neurology and Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.affiliation: Centre for Experimental Neurological Therapies (CENTERS), Neurology and Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Buscarinu
authors.affiliation: Centre for Experimental Neurological Therapies (CENTERS), Neurology and Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fornasiero
authors.affiliation: Centre for Experimental Neurological Therapies (CENTERS), Neurology and Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Umeton
authors.affiliation: Centre for Experimental Neurological Therapies (CENTERS), Neurology and Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Neuroimmunology Unit, Fondazione Santa Lucia-I.R.C.C.S., Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: V A G
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Ricigliano
authors.affiliation: Neurology and Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Orzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-mediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Coccia
authors.affiliation: Centre for Experimental Neurological Therapies (CENTERS), Neurology and Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. Electronic address: marco.salvetti@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salvetti
authors.affiliation: Centre for Experimental Neurological Therapies (CENTERS), Neurology and Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ristori
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D055106:Genome-Wide Association Study; D006207:Half-Life; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000188:drug therapy; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D016899:Interferon-beta; C428112:peginterferon beta-1a
keywords: Epstein–Barr virus; Genome-wide Association Studies; Human endogenous retroviruses; Interferon beta; Multiple sclerosis