Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) concentrations outside migraine attacks in peripheral blood as a potential biomarker for chronic migraine / Concentrações de peptídeo relacionado ao gene da calcitonina (CGRP) fora dos ataques de enxaqueca no sangue periférico como um potencial biomarcador para enxaqueca crônica

Introduction: Chronic migraine is a debilitating condition that affects a significant portion of the population. Accurate diagnosis and treatment of chronic migraine remain a challenge due to the lack of objective biomarkers. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a neuropeptide involved in the pathophysiology of migraine and has been proposed as a potential biomarker for migraine. Methods: We measured CGRP levels in peripheral blood samples collected from 142 participants with chronic or episodic migraine and 24 healthy controls during ictal periods, i.e., outside migraine attacks. We compared CGRP levels between the three groups and assessed the correlation between CGRP levels and clinical features of chronic migraine. Conclusion: Our study provides evidence that CGRP levels in peripheral blood during ictal periods may serve as a potential biomarker for chronic migraine. Further studies are needed to validate these findings and to explore the clinical utility of CGRP as a biomarker for chronic migraine.

Introdução: A enxaqueca crônica é uma condição debilitante que afeta uma parcela significativa da população. O diagnóstico preciso e o tratamento da enxaqueca crónica continuam a ser um desafio devido à falta de biomarcadores objetivos. O peptídeo relacionado ao gene da calcitonina (CGRP) é um neuropeptídeo envolvido na fisiopatologia da enxaqueca e foi proposto como um potencial biomarcador para enxaqueca. Métodos: Medimos os níveis de CGRP em amostras de sangue periférico coletadas de 142 participantes com enxaqueca crônica ou episódica e 24 controles saudáveis ​​durante períodos ictais, ou seja, fora das crises de enxaqueca. Comparamos os níveis de CGRP entre os três grupos e avaliamos a correlação entre os níveis de CGRP e as características clínicas da enxaqueca crônica. Conclusão: Nosso estudo fornece evidências de que os níveis de CGRP no sangue periférico durante os períodos ictais podem servir como um potencial biomarcador para enxaqueca crônica. Mais estudos são necessários para validar estes resultados e explorar a utilidade clínica do CGRP como biomarcador para enxaqueca crónica.

Novel mutations identified in EIF2B5 gene in Kashmiri patients as susceptibility factor for multiple sclerosis.

White matter disease refers to a set of diseases that affect the white matter of the brain and all of which have different consequences on brain function. Most of the studies have shown that it results from the defects during protein synthesis, with the gene defects in EIF2B1–5, encoding the five subunits of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2B (eIF2B) α, β, γ, δ and ε, respectively. eIF2B plays a crucial role in protein translation and its regulation under different conditions. The previous studies have shown that mutations in five subunits of eIF2B cause white matter disease of the brain and thus EIF2B is the main culprit in development of white matter disease. In this study, the mutational screening of EIF2B5 gene encoding eIF2Bε was performed for the first time in 12 Kashmiri patients, each having a unique white matter disease condition. We found two novel missense mutations in EIF2B5: c.580A>G, p.Thr194Ala and c.611C>T, p.Ala204Val among the patients with demyelinating disease (multiple sclerosis), but no mutation was found in other patients. In conclusion our study suggests involvement of the EIF2B5 gene in MS development, thus suggesting p.Thr194Ala to be a susceptibility factor for the development of multiple sclerosis.