Assessment of plasma biomarkers for their association with Multiple Sclerosis progression

- Semaphorin3A is a novel predictor of MS risk and disability in MS females.
- Low levels of prolactin associates with MS risk in males.
- Blood biomarkers substantiate sexual dimorphism in MS risk and progression.
- Semaphorin3A is a novel candidate for therapeutic intervention in MS females.

In a cross-sectional study involving 160 Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients and 70 healthy controls we set out to determine the association of five blood biomarkers with MS risk and progression scores. High levels of Semaphorin3A (SEMA3A) in females, and low levels of prolactin and estradiol in males associated with MS risk. High MS disability correlated with higher SEMA3A levels in females. Our findings suggest the clinical applicability of SEMA3A, and prolactin as biomarkers for MS progression. However, these biomarkers had sex-specific associations with MS, and any therapeutic approaches utilizing them should take that into consideration.

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