Increased Levels of Endothelin-1 in Cerebrospinal Fluid Are a Marker of Poor Visual Recovery after Optic Neuritis in Multiple Sclerosis Patients

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic inflammatory and degenerative disease of the central nervous system, typically features immune-mediated focal demyelination and secondary axonal degeneration. Cerebral hypoperfusion of the normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) has been reported in MS patients and may be mediated by elevated levels of endothelin-1 (ET-1), a most potent vasoconstrictive peptide released from reactive astrocytes in MS focal lesions. Optic neuritis (ON) is one of the most frequent manifestations of MS and also shows peripapillary vascular hypoperfusion in combination with disc swelling. AIMS: We aimed to compare serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of ET-1 as a potential prognostic marker of MS-ON in two groups of patients differing for severity of MS-ON clinical presentation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study to compare serum and CSF levels of ET-1 between patients with clinically aggressive MS-ON (A-MS-ON) and nonaggressive MS-ON (NA-MS-ON) according to conventional ophthalmological criteria, including optical coherence tomography. CSF and serum concentrations of ET-1 were measured using a commercially available ELISA method. RESULTS: Sixteen patients consecutively referred to the Units of Neurology for visual disturbances attributable to MS were recruited, 11 (69%) patients with A-MS-ON and 5 (31%) with NA-MS-ON. Median CSF ET-1 levels and CSF/serum ET-1 quotient were significantly higher in patients with A-MS-ON (0.30 vs. 0.56 ng/ml) as compared to NA-MS-ON (0.16 vs. 0.16). CONCLUSIONS: Severity and failure in the recovery from ON in MS patients may depend from vascular hypoperfusion of the optic nerve induced by high intrathecally produced ET-1, a potential prognostic marker of ON recovery in MS. The detection of CSF ET-1 levels may allow identifying groups of ON patients potentially benefitting from treatment with ET-1 antagonists (e.g., bosentan).