Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-driven demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. Immune cell features are particularly promising as predictive biomarkers due to their central role in the pathogenesis but also as drug targets, even if nowadays, they have no impact in clinical practice. Recently, high-resolution approaches, such as mass cytometry (CyTOF), helped to better understand the diversity and functions of the immune system. In this study, we performed an exploratory analysis of blood immune response profiles in healthy controls and MS patients sampled at their first neurological relapse, using two large CyTOF panels including 62 markers exploring myeloid and lymphoid cells. An increased abundance of both a T-bet-expressing B cell subset and a CD206+ classical monocyte subset was detected in the blood of early MS patients. Moreover, T-bet-expressing B cells tended to be enriched in aggressive MS patients. This study provides new insights into understanding the pathophysiology of MS and the identification of immunological biomarkers. Further studies will be required to validate these results and to determine the exact role of the identified clusters in neuroinflammation.

Background: A recent controlled trial suggested that high-dose biotin supplementation reverses disability progression in patients with progressive multiple sclerosis. Objective: To analyze the impact of high-dose biotin in routine clinical practice on disability progression at 12 months. Methods: Progressive multiple sclerosis patients who started high-dose biotin at Nantes or Rennes Hospital between 3 June 2015 and 15 September 2017 were included in this prospective study. Disability outcome measures, patient-reported outcome measures, relapses, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data, and adverse events were collected at baseline, 6, and 12 months. Results: A total of 178 patients were included. At baseline, patients were 52.0 ± 9.4 years old, mean Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score was 6.1 ± 1.3, mean disease duration was 16.9 ± 9.5 years. At 12 months, 3.8% of the patients had an improved EDSS score. Regarding the other disability scales, scores either remained stable or increased significantly. In total, 47.4% of the patients described stability, 27.6% felt an improvement, and 25% described a worsening. Four patients (2.2%) had a relapse. Of the 74 patients (41.6%) who underwent an MRI, 20 (27.0%) had new T2 lesions, 8 (10.8%) had gadolinium-enhancing lesions. Twenty-five (14%) reported adverse event. Conclusion: In this study, high-dose biotin did not seem to be associated with a clear improvement in disability.

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Background: A recent controlled trial suggested that high-dose biotin supplementation reverses disability progression in patients with progressive multiple sclerosis. 4 Objective: To analyze the impact of high-dose biotin in routine clinical practice on disability 5 progression at 12 months. 6 Methods: Progressive multiple sclerosis patients who started high-dose biotin at Nantes or 7 Rennes Hospital between 3 June 2015 and 15 September 2017 were included in this 8 prospective study. Disability outcome measures, patient-reported outcome measures, relapses, 9 MRI data, and adverse events were collected at baseline, 6 months and 12 months. 10 Results: 178 patients were included. At baseline, patients were 52.0±9.4 years old, mean 11 Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score was 6.1±1.3, mean disease duration was 12