title: [Levels of Beclin 1 and LC3 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica and its significance].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the expression and significance of Beclin 1 and LC3 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica (NMO) before and after treatment during acute and recurrent acute phases.
  
  
  METHODS
  All outpatients, inpatients and healthy controls were recruited from our hospital from October 2012 to April 2014. During acute phase, PBMCs from patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica (NMO)(pre and post-treatment) were immediately isolated by Ficoll-Hypaque density gradient centrifugation. And the expressions of Beclin 1 and LC3 were detected by Western blot. And relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and relapsing NMO (RNMO) patients were followed up and the expressions of Beclin 1 and LC3 proteins compared during two acute phases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with normal controls, the expression of Beclin 1 in PBMCs from acute phase of MS and NMO patients decreased while the expression of LC3 increased. During acute phase, the expression of Beclin 1 significantly increased after treatment in MS and NMO patients compared with pre-treatment, but the expression of LC3 significantly decreased. The expression of Beclin1 obviously decreased in RRMS and recurrent RNMO compared with the previous period, but the expression of LC3 significantly increased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The autophagy level increases in PBMC from MS and NMO patients during acute phase. However it decreases after treatment. However, the autophagy levels significantly increase in RRMS and RNMO. And enhanced autophagy may play its role in the pathogenesis of MS and NMO.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China.
authors.forename: Liyun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China.
authors.forename: Qun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China.
authors.forename: Jianqiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China.
authors.forename: Siping
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China. Email: dwlsz8@163.com.
authors.forename: Wanli
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dong
mesh_terms: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D000071186:Beclin-1; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis; D009471:Neuromyelitis Optica; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; C491997:BECN1 protein, human; D000071186:Beclin-1; C477012:MAP1LC3A protein, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins