MS stem cell therapy lowers mitochondrial DNA in study

A recent small-scale study revealed that individuals diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) exhibit elevated levels of mitochondrial DNA in their spinal fluid, compared to those without the condition. Mitochondria, crucial cellular structures responsible for generating cellular energy, possess their own DNA, which can be released into the surrounding fluid and potentially contribute to inflammatory processes.

However, researchers noted a significant finding: after undergoing stem cell therapy, MS patients showed a reduction in mitochondrial DNA levels, indicating a potential correlation between these levels and disease activity. This suggests that mitochondrial DNA could serve as a marker for disease progression and response to treatment in MS cases.

The study, titled “Cerebrospinal fluid mtDNA concentrations are increased in multiple sclerosis and were normalized after intervention with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation,” was recently published in Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders.