Unit of Immunodiagnostic and Molecular Pathology, Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, "G.d'Annunzio" University, Via Dei Vestini 31, 66100, Chieti, Italy.
Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Science, "G.d'Annunzio" University, Via Dei Vestini 31, 66100, Chieti, Italy.
Sci Rep. 2018 Jan 22;8(1):1319. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-19701-7.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease, having not fully understood aetiology, and both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the pathogenesis of the disease. The cholinergic system has been indicated as a mediator of neuro-immune interactions, as well as an internal regulator of immune responses. The aim of the present research was to assess the associations between BChE and AChE genetic variations and serum cholinergic and inflammatory profiles in 102 Relapsing Remitting-MS patients and 117 healthy controls. An increased frequency of the BChE K-allele in MS patients as compared to controls was found. In addition, data showed that patients had higher BChE enzymatic activity, which is increased by the presence of the polymorphic allele and reduced amounts of circulating ACh. AChE polymorphism was significantly associated to reduced activity in both patients and controls. We propose that serum BChE and AChE activity may be used as a secondary markers to assess the role of non-neuronal cholinergic system in regulating peripheral inflammation via ACh regulation. This pilot study shed light on the role of the non-neuronal cholinergic system in immune cells to better understand MS pathogenesis. The cross-talk between the periphery and the CNS could have a new undescribed crucial role for MS, regarded as a systemic disease.
多发性硬化症（MS）是一种自身免疫性疾病，其病因尚未完全阐明，遗传和环境因素都有助于疾病的发病机制。胆碱能系统被认为是神经免疫相互作用的介质，也是免疫反应的内部调节剂。本研究旨在评估 102 例复发缓解型多发性硬化症患者和 117 名健康对照者的 BChE 和 AChE 基因变异与血清胆碱能和炎症谱之间的相关性。与对照组相比，MS 患者的 BChE K-等位基因频率增加。此外，数据显示患者的 BChE 酶活性更高，这种活性增加是由多态性等位基因的存在和循环 ACh 的减少引起的。AChE 多态性与患者和对照组的活性降低显著相关。我们提出，血清 BChE 和 AChE 活性可作为辅助标志物，用于评估非神经元胆碱能系统通过 ACh 调节外周炎症的作用。这项初步研究阐明了非神经元胆碱能系统在免疫细胞中的作用，以更好地了解 MS 的发病机制。外周和中枢神经系统之间的相互作用可能对被视为全身性疾病的 MS 具有新的、尚未描述的关键作用。
