Choroid Plexus Volume Change-A Candidate for a New Radiological Marker of MS Progression

Diagnostics (Basel). 2023 Aug 14;13(16):2668. doi: 10.3390/diagnostics13162668.

Abstract

(1) Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an auto-immune, chronic, neuroinflammatory, demyelinating disease that affects mainly young patients. This progressive inflammatory process causes the chronic loss of brain tissue and results in a deterioration in quality of life. To monitor neuroinflammatory process activity and predict the further development of disease, it is necessary to find a suitable biomarker that could easily be used. In this research, we verify the usability of choroid plexus (CP) volume, a new MS biomarker, in the monitoring of the progression of multiple sclerosis disease. (2) Methods: A single-center, prospective study with three groups of patients was conducted based on the following groups: MS patients who received experimental cellular therapy (Treg), treatment-naïve MS patients and healthy controls. (3) Results: This study concludes that there is a correlation between the CPV/TIV (choroid plexus/total intracranial volume) ratio and the progress of multiple sclerosis disease-patients with MS (MS + Treg) had larger volumes of choroid plexuses. CPV/TIV ratios in MS groups were constantly and significantly growing. In the Treg group, patients with relapses had larger plexuses in comparison to the group with no relapses of MS. A similar correlation was observed for the GD+ group (patients with postcontrast enhancing plaques) compared against the non-GD group (patients without postcontrast enhancing plaques). (4) Conclusion: Choroid plexus volume, due to its immunological function, correlates with the inflammatory process in the central nervous system. We consider it to become a valuable radiological biomarker of MS activity.

Keywords: biomarker; choroid plexus; magnetic resonance; multiple sclerosis.

Grants and funding

Part of the data have been supplied by the study, “Administration of CD4+CD25highCD127−FoxP3+ Regulatory T Cells for Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: A Phase 1 Study”. “Administration of CD4+CD25highCD127−FoxP3+ Regulatory T Cells for Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: A Phase 1 Study” was supported by the National Centre for Research and Development, Poland (grant no. STRATEGMED1/233368/1/NCBR/2014). This study was supported by the National Centre for Research and Development, Poland (grant no. STRATEGMED1/233368/1/NCBR/2014 to PT).