Relaxin levels in matched sera and CSF from subjects with multiple sclerosis

Abstract

A spontaneous remission of symptoms in women with multiple sclerosis is often associated with pregnancy. And sex hormones such are thought to play a crucial role in this. Both testosterone and estrogen have been studied extensively in the disease, but not relaxin. In an initial study of relaxin in multiple sclerosis elevated levels were detected in the sera of some, but not all subjects. Unfortunately, it was not possible to determine if this was relaxin 1, 2 or 3 du to the non-specificity of the assay. In this study we measured the levels of all three relaxins in matched sera and cerebral spinal fluid samples from subjects with multiple sclerosis. No relaxin 2 was detected in any of the samples. However, both relaxin 1 and 3 were detected in some of the samples. The presence of relaxin 3 was not remarkable. In contrast, the presence of relaxin 1 was notable. The presence of relaxin 1 in subjects with multiple sclerosis suggests that it has a biological function and is not a pseudogene has been previously suggested.