ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory autoimmune disease characterized by neurodegeneration in the CNS. Interferon-beta (IFN-ß) is an FDA-approved drug used as the first-line treatment for relapse-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The exact mechanism of IFN-ß during the treatment of RRMS still remains unknown. Recently, many studies have shifted towards the role of miRNAs in the treatment of MS patients. METHODS: Herein, the expression level of miR-185-5p and miR-320a has been evaluated in order to candidate them as novel biomarkers for monitoring the response to IFN-ß therapy. For this purpose, one-hundred whole blood samples from patients with RRMS were collected, consisting of 50 responders and 50 non-responders to IFN-ß therapy. To predict the possible molecular mechanisms of IFN-ß and highlight the role of these miRNAs, in silico analysis was applied to enrich the signaling pathways which may be involved based on the target genes of miR-185-5p and miR-320a. RESULTS: It is identified that the differentially expressed miR-185-5p was statistically significant between the two treated groups with IFN-ß. Furthermore, MAPK signaling pathway was suggested as the main non-canonical pathway involved in IFN-ß therapy. CONCLUSION: miR-185-5p could be considered as a novel biomarker for monitoring the response to IFN-ß therapy.
