Effect of fingolimod treatment on circulating miR-15b, miR23a and miR-223 levels in patients with multiple sclerosis

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have recently found to be dysregulated in serum from multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Cell free circulating miR-15b, -23a and 223 levels were analyzed by Real Time PCR in a cohort consisting of 30 serum samples from Relapsing Remitting MS patients at baseline (T0) and after three, six, nine and twelve months (T1, T2, T3, T4) after starting the treatment. A down-regulation of miRNA levels in patients at T0 compared with controls was present (p < 0.001). MiRNA levels slightly increased at T1 and this trend reached the statistical significance at T2 vs T0 and remains stable at T3 and T4. Our preliminary results suggest that aberrant levels of circulating miRNAs are recovered in fingolimod treated MS patients. Circulating miRNAs profiling could thus represent an easy detectable biomarker of disease and response to treatment.