Elevated levels of miR-181c and miR-633 in the CSF of patients with MS: A validation study

Objective To validate a previously discovered microRNA (miRNA) panel in the CSF of patients with MS, we now tested the diagnostic value of CSF-derived candidate miRNAs in a case-control study in a larger MS cohort. Methods The levels of miR-181c, miR-633, and miR-922 were analyzed in the CSF of 218 patients with MS and 211 patients with other neurologic diseases (OND) by real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR. Results CSF levels of both miR-181c (p Conclusions The results of this so far largest study on CSF-based miRNAs confirm the diagnostic value of miR-181c and miR-633 for MS. The present study may help to extend the diagnostic tools for patients with suspected MS and may add further knowledge to the pathology of the disease. Classification of Evidence This study provides Class III evidence that CSF-derived miR-181c and miR-633 distinguish patients with MS from patients with OND.