title: The use of flow cytometry to assess a novel drug efficacy in multiple sclerosis.
abstract: Applying different technologies to monitor disease activity and treatment efficacy are essential in a complex disease such as multiple sclerosis. Combining current assays with flow cytometry could create a powerful tool for such analyses. The cell surface expression level of CD74, the MHC class II invariant chain, is a potential disease biomarker that could be monitored by FACS analysis in order to assess disease progression and the clinical efficacy of partial MHC class II constructs in treating MS. These constructs, which can bind to and down-regulate CD74 cell-surface expression on monocytes and inhibit macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) effects, can reverse clinical and histological signs of EAE. These properties of partial class II constructs are highly compatible with a flow cytometry approach for monitoring CD74 expression as a possible biomarker for disease activity/progression and as a treatment response marker.
authors.affiliation: Neuroimmunology Research, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Portland, OR, USA.
authors.forename: Gil
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Benedek
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meza-Romero
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bourdette
authors.forename: Arthur A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Vandenbark
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic / Q000379:methods; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D019746:Intramolecular Oxidoreductases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors; D019746:Intramolecular Oxidoreductases; C515598:MIF protein, human