Background: So far, little is known about the properties of human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) in multiple sclerosis (MS). This type 4 glycoprotein belongs to a family of genes encoding proteins whose expression is associated with the process of spermatogenesis in the epididymis. The biological function of HE4 is not fully understood. Overexpression of HE4 has been found in several malignant tumors, particularly in ovarian cancer, as well as in mesothelioma, lung, endometrial, breast, and kidney cancers.
Objectives: To evaluate serum HE4 in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) as compared to healthy controls.
Material and methods: Fifty patients with RRMS undergoing first-line immunomodulatory treatment were enrolled in the prospective study. We analyzed correlations between serum HE4 levels and gender, age, disease duration, the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), annualized relapse rate (ARR), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) lesions.
Results: The patients from the study group had higher concentrations of HE4 than the subjects from the control group. Patients with EDSS > 2 had significantly higher concentrations of HE4. Positive correlations were found between HE4 concentrations and age as well as between HE4 concentrations and disease duration. No significant correlations were found between HE4 concentrations and EDSS or between HE4 concentrations and ARR.
Conclusions: The results of the study indicate a novel aspect of the HE4 protein in the pathomechanisms of MS.
Keywords: autoimmune diseases; biomarker; human epididymis protein 4; multiple sclerosis; relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.