Neurotrophic Peptides Including VIP Show Normal Levels in Newly Diagnosed Multiple Sclerosis
Plasma levels of BDNF, ADNP, and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) were not significantly different between newly diagnosed, untreated multiple sclerosis patients and healthy controls.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Plasma concentrations of BDNF, ADNP, and VIP in 31 treatment-naïve, newly diagnosed MS patients did not differ significantly from those in 36 healthy controls. Additionally, no correlations were found between these neurotrophic factors and inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α), C-reactive protein levels, or disability status as measured by the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS).
This null result is informative — it suggests that in the earliest stages of MS, before treatment intervention, these neuroprotective peptides have not yet been detectably altered in peripheral blood.
Key Numbers
How They Did This
This was a cross-sectional study comparing 31 untreated MS patients with 36 healthy controls from a single hospital center. Plasma BDNF and ADNP were measured using ELISA, VIP was measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA), and inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α) were assessed with ELISA. Statistical analyses compared protein levels between groups and examined correlations with inflammatory markers and EDSS disability scores.
Why This Research Matters
VIP is a neuroprotective peptide with known anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating properties that has been investigated as a potential MS treatment. Understanding whether its levels are altered in early, untreated MS helps determine if VIP deficiency contributes to disease onset or if changes occur later with disease progression and treatment. This null finding narrows the window for when VIP-related changes might occur in MS.
The Bigger Picture
VIP has attracted attention as a potential therapeutic peptide for autoimmune diseases including MS, based on its anti-inflammatory properties demonstrated in animal models. This study's finding that VIP levels are normal in early untreated MS suggests that any VIP-related changes may be secondary to disease progression or treatment rather than a primary feature of early disease. This has implications for whether VIP supplementation might be beneficial in early versus later-stage MS.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
The small sample size (31 patients, 36 controls) limits statistical power to detect subtle differences. The study was cross-sectional and from a single center, preventing assessment of how these peptide levels change over time with disease progression. Plasma measurements may not reflect levels within the central nervous system, where MS pathology occurs. The study measured only newly diagnosed patients, so changes that develop with disease duration remain unknown.
Questions This Raises
- ?Do VIP, BDNF, and ADNP levels change as MS progresses or in response to disease-modifying treatments?
- ?Would measuring these peptides in cerebrospinal fluid rather than blood reveal differences not detectable in plasma?
- ?Could VIP supplementation still be therapeutic in early MS even though baseline levels appear normal?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- No significant differences VIP, BDNF, and ADNP levels were comparable between 31 newly diagnosed MS patients and 36 healthy controls
- Evidence Grade:
- This is a small, single-center cross-sectional study with 67 total participants. While the methodology (ELISA/RIA measurements, appropriate controls) is sound, the small sample size and single-center design limit the generalizability. Null findings in small studies should be interpreted cautiously as the study may have been underpowered to detect small differences.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2015, this study is somewhat dated. Since then, understanding of neuroprotective peptides in MS has advanced, though VIP levels in early MS remain an area with limited data. The findings still contribute to the baseline understanding of peptide levels in untreated MS.
- Original Title:
- Assessment of plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), activity-dependent neurotrophin protein (ADNP) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) concentrations in treatment-naïve humans with multiple sclerosis.
- Published In:
- Neuro endocrinology letters, 36(2), 148-52 (2015)
- Authors:
- Kochanowski, Jan, Uchman, Dorota, Litwiniuk, Anna, Kalisz, Malgorzata, Wolinska-Witort, Ewa, Martynska, Lidia, Baranowska, Boguslawa, Bik, Wojciech
- Database ID:
- RPEP-02689
Evidence Hierarchy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and why is it studied in MS?
VIP is a peptide produced by nerve cells that has anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties. It can modulate immune cell activity and protect nerve cells from damage. Because MS involves both inflammation and nerve damage, researchers have explored whether VIP levels are altered in the disease and whether VIP supplementation could be therapeutic.
Does a null finding mean these peptides aren't important in MS?
Not necessarily. This study only measured blood levels at a single time point in newly diagnosed patients. Peptide levels may change with disease progression, during MS relapses, or in response to treatment. Also, blood levels may not reflect what's happening in the brain and spinal cord where MS damage occurs. The null finding simply means these peptides aren't detectably altered in early, untreated MS blood samples.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkpeptides.com/research/RPEP-02689APA
Kochanowski, Jan; Uchman, Dorota; Litwiniuk, Anna; Kalisz, Malgorzata; Wolinska-Witort, Ewa; Martynska, Lidia; Baranowska, Boguslawa; Bik, Wojciech. (2015). Assessment of plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), activity-dependent neurotrophin protein (ADNP) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) concentrations in treatment-naïve humans with multiple sclerosis.. Neuro endocrinology letters, 36(2), 148-52.
MLA
Kochanowski, Jan, et al. "Assessment of plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), activity-dependent neurotrophin protein (ADNP) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) concentrations in treatment-naïve humans with multiple sclerosis.." Neuro endocrinology letters, 2015.
RethinkPeptides
RethinkPeptides Research Database. "Assessment of plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF..." RPEP-02689. Retrieved from https://rethinkpeptides.com/research/kochanowski-2015-assessment-of-plasma-brainderived
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkPeptides research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.