Introduction of two candidate microRNAs, –miR-21 and miR-146a, as biomarkers in MS

The roles of miRNAs in autoimmunity are only beginning to be explored; they may be involved in regulating immune responses against self-tissues.miRNAs may contribute to disease progression and response to treatment in MS patients. Several studies on MS have analyzed the role or profile of miRNAs in different tissues including peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).The current study evaluated mir-21 and mir-146a in CSF samples of patients with multiple sclerosis. Differential expression of the two miRNAs was detected in at least 80% of the CSF samples;however, additional functional studies and analyses of larger cohorts are needed to validate these results and to elucidate the real role of these miRNAs in the context of MS.