SUMMARY

The Clinical Neuroimmunology Grup aims to improve the quality of life of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and attain a greater understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms, aiming to develop new and more effective therapeutic means. During 2014, we have characterized a novel regulatory T cell population in MS and its experimental model (EAE), which is defined by the expression of the transcription factor FoxA1 and induces apoptosis of activated T cells via programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression. In relation to MS treatment, we have identified HLA class II alleles (HLA-DRB1*13 and HLA-DRB1*14) associated with natalizumab-related anaphylactoid reactions in MS patients, with a positive predictive value of 82% and odds ratio of 9. Furthermore, we have validated two cerebrospinal fluid proteins, semaphorin 7A and ala-β-his-dipeptidase, as biomarkers associated with the conversion to clinically definite MS in patients with a first neurological event suggestive of MS or clinically isolated syndrome.

During this year, we have obtained a grant from the Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Alliance, which will allow a detailed investigation of the long-term clinical evolution of primary progressive MS and its relation to radiological as well as blood and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers. On the other hand, we have been awarded a grant from the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation, which will allow to investigate the clinical impact of regional radiological changes after a first attack of MS. Further to this, two grants from the Fundació La Marató TV3 have been awarded to implement a fully-automated pipeline for brain volume calculation and also to search for diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in pediatric MS and related demyelinating disorders.

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