Plasma levels of 15d-PGJ are not altered in multiple sclerosis.

Background: The 15-deoxi delta prostaglandin J(2) (15d-PGJ(2)) is a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma agonist with potent anti-inflammatory properties. It has been suggested that 15d-PGJ(2) may modulate multiple sclerosis (MS).
Methods: Here, we investigated the plasma levels of 15d-PGJ(2) by enzyme-linked immunoassay in 28 healthy controls and 140 MS patients [30 patients with primary-progressive MS, 28 patients with secondary-progressive MS, and 82 patients with relapsing-remitting MS (28 patients during clinical remission, 25 patients during relapse, and 29 treated with interferon-beta - IFN-beta)].
Results: Levels of 15d-PGJ(2) were similar between healthy controls and untreated MS patients with different clinical courses of the disease. Treatment with IFN-beta had no effect on levels of 15d-PGJ(2).
Conclusions: Although these findings suggest that 15d-PGJ(2) is not involved in the acute or chronic phases of the disease, further studies measuring 15d-PGJ(2) in cerebrospinal fluid samples are needed before excluding a role of 15d-PGJ(2) in MS.