Faculty Collaboration Database

Proteomics confirms immune stabilizing effects of narrowband UVB treatment in patients with clinically isolated syndrome and multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler Relat Disord 2025 Dec;104:106788

Date

10/12/2025

Pubmed ID

41075342

DOI

10.1016/j.msard.2025.106788

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-105018119910 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   3 Citations

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) demonstrates a latitude gradient in prevalence and severity, implicating ultraviolet B (UVB) exposure and photoimmune mechanisms in disease risk and progression. While narrowband (NB)-UVB phototherapy has long stabilized inflammation in dermatology, its systemic immunomodulatory effects in MS remain incompletely defined. Objective To characterize the photoimmune impact of NB-UVB in clinically isolated syndrome (CIS)/MS patients, leveraging untargeted and targeted proteomic analysis including the Octave Multiple Sclerosis Disease Activity Score. Methods In the PhoCIS trial, CIS patients were randomized to NB-UVB (3 × /week for 8 weeks) or standard care. Serum samples from baseline and day 90 were analyzed using the Olink Target 96 Inflammation panel (untargeted) and the clinically validated MS Disease Activity (MSDA) test panel (targeted). Statistical analyses compared differences within and between-groups. Results Comparing the difference from baseline to day 90, the NB-UVB cohort had significant downregulation in 23 of 92 inflammatory proteins, while the Controls had no changes. Targeted MSDA scores confirmed similar differentially significant reductions in general disease activity and severity, and within the component neuroinflammation, immunomodulation, and neuroaxonal integrity scores. Conclusion NB-UVB caused broad and coordinated reductions in untargeted and targeted inflammatory proteins. These effects support NB-UVB as a promising immunomodulatory strategy in MS in both general inflammation and MS-specific activity, as well as consideration of inflammatory markers and the MS Disease Activity Score as surrogate endpoints in future trials.

Author List

Hart PH, Emig CJ, Obeidat AZ, Trend S, Kermode AG, Qureshi F, MacMahon J

Author

Ahmed Zayed Obeidat PhD, MD Associate Professor in the Neurology department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Demyelinating Diseases
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Multiple Sclerosis
Proteomics
Ultraviolet Therapy