People suffering from Multiple Sclerosis (MS) may harbor a specific antibody in their blood, possibly allowing for early detection prior to the appearance of symptoms.
Appearing against KIR4.1, a potassium channel protein, the antibodies in question were detectable in seven of 16 test subjects who displayed no symptoms at the time of testing, all of whom later developed the disease in two to nine months following the test. An additional two members of the group demonstrated borderline presence of the antibodies. The results were then measured against a control group of 16 separate individuals (the same age and sex as the initial group) who did not go on to develop MS, none of whom had the suspect antibodies.
Conducted by the Technical University of Munich, Germany, the findings will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's annual meeting, scheduled to take place in April.
Indeed, the findings are optimistic for sufferers from MS, as the information may lead to early detection and thus successful treatment - and possibly even prevention - of the condition. "If our results can be replicated in larger populations, our findings may help to detect MS earlier in a subgroup of patients," said the study's leader, Dr. Viola Biberacher. "Finding the disease before symptoms appear means we can better prepare to treat and possibly even prevent those symptoms."
"This finding also demonstrates that the antibody development to the KIR4.1 protein, a protein found in some people with MS, precedes the clinical onset of disease suggesting a role of the autoantibody in how the disease develops," Biberacher stated in a press release.
Since 2008, MS rates have climbed nearly 10 percent globally, with 2.3 million people thought to be suffering from the debilitating condition. Currently, there is no cure for MS, an autoimmune disease that affects the insulating covers in nerve cells throughout the brain and spinal cord. It's thought that the condition develops as a result of genetic predisposition, with other external factors, such as a lack of exposure to the sun, also contributing to its advancement. Northern countries with limited sunlight often have a higher incidence of the disease, with Canada experiencing anestimated 291 cases for every 100,000 people and Denmark with 227. Sweden also experiences high rates of MS, with an estimated 189 cases for every 100,000 people. Unlike these countries, however, physicians in the United States are not required to report incidences of the condition to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with official numbers remaining uncertain.
Biberacher remains hopeful for future treaments. "The next step is to confirm these findings in larger groups and determine how many years before onset of disease the antibody response develops."
