RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Dynamic regulation of serum aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonists in MS JF Neurology - Neuroimmunology Neuroinflammation JO Neurol Neuroimmunol Neuroinflamm FD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins SP e359 DO 10.1212/NXI.0000000000000359 VO 4 IS 4 A1 Rothhammer, Veit A1 Borucki, Davis M. A1 Garcia Sanchez, Maria Isabel A1 Mazzola, Maria Antonietta A1 Hemond, Christopher C. A1 Regev, Keren A1 Paul, Anu A1 Kivisäkk, Pia A1 Bakshi, Rohit A1 Izquierdo, Guillermo A1 Weiner, Howard L. A1 Quintana, Francisco J. YR 2017 UL http://nn.neurology.org/content/4/4/e359.abstract AB Objective: Several factors influence the clinical course of autoimmune inflammatory diseases such as MS and inflammatory bowel disease. Only recently, the complex interaction between the gut microbiome, dietary factors, and metabolism has started to be appreciated with regard to its potential to modulate acute and chronic inflammation. One of the molecular sensors that mediates the effects of these environmental signals on the immune response is the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), a ligand-activated transcription factor with key functions in immune cells.Methods: In this study, we analyzed the levels of AHR agonists in serum samples from patients with MS and healthy controls in a case-control study.Results: We detected a global decrease of circulating AHR agonists in relapsing-remitting MS patients as compared to controls. However, during acute CNS inflammation in clinically isolated syndrome or active MS, we measured increased AHR agonistic activity. Moreover, AHR ligand levels in patients with benign MS with relatively mild clinical impairment despite longstanding disease were unaltered as compared to healthy controls.Conclusions: Collectively, these data suggest that AHR agonists in serum are dynamically modulated during the course of MS. These findings may guide the development of biomarkers to monitor disease activity as well as the design of novel therapeutic interventions for MS.AHR=aryl hydrocarbon receptor; CIS=clinically isolated syndrome; DMT=disease-modifying therapy; HEK=human embryonic kidney; IBD=inflammatory bowel disease; Kyn=Kynurenine; RRMS=relapsing-remitting MS