why choose us

300×250 Ad Slot

Research Article: Disease-modifying therapies are associated with improved olfactory function via NK cell- microbiota interactions in multiple sclerosis

Date Published: 2026-09-14

Abstract:
To examine the associations of nasal microbiota with disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), lymphocyte subsets and olfactory function in multiple sclerosis (MS). Thirty patients with MS and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled. Patients were classified as DMT-treated (MS[DMT+]) or untreated (MS[DMT-]). Olfactory function was assessed using the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT). Lymphocyte subsets were measured by flow cytometry, and nasal microbiota were analysed by 16S rRNA sequencing. Olfactory function was lower in MS than in HCs, and better in MS(DMTs+) than in MS(DMTs?) ( p =0.016, 95% CI 0.5614 to 4.941). NK cell counts were lower in MS(DMTs+) than in MS(DMTs?) ( p =0.049, 95% CI -244.7 to -0.2109). And NK cell counts in MS(DMTs+) correlate with UPSIT ( r =-0.527, p =0.029). Compared with HCs, MS(DMTs?) showed higher Shannon diversity ( p =0.038), increased Proteobacteria ( p =0.004), reduced Moraxellaceae ( p =0.037) and Enterobacteriaceae ( p =0.033), and enriched branched-chain amino acid biosynthesis ( p =0.026). In MS(DMTs+), Campylobacter, Anaerococcus, Peptoniphilus, Prevotella , and Finegoldia were positively correlated with circulating NK cells (all p <0.05). DMTs may improve olfactory function in MS, possibly through modulation of circulating NK cell-associated immune status and nasal microbiota, in addition to controlling disease-related inflammation.

Introduction:
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a central nervous system disorder driven by autoimmune mechanisms, in which inflammatory activity results in demyelination and subsequent axonal impairment ( 1 ). It is one of the most common causes of non-traumatic disability among individuals aged 18–40 years, affecting an estimated 2.8 million people worldwide ( 2 ). Immune imbalance is a major contributor to MS pathogenesis, characterized by dysregulated expansion and infiltration of T and B lymphocytes ( 3 ). Patients during the…

Read more

300×250 Ad Slot