A preliminary study of the concentration of metallic elements in the blood of patients with multiple sclerosis as measured by ICP-MS

Abstract

It is estimated that multiple sclerosis (MS) affects 35,000 Brazilians and 2.5 million individuals worldwide. Many studies have suggested a possible role of metallic elements in the etiology of MS, but their concentration in the blood of MS patients is nonetheless little investigated in Brazil. In this work, these elements were studied through Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), whose analysis provides a tool to quantify the concentrations of metal elements in the blood samples of individuals with neurodegenerative disorders. This study aimed to compare the concentration of metallic elements in blood samples from patients with MS and healthy individuals. Blood was collected from 30 patients with multiple sclerosis and compared with the control group. Blood samples were digested in closed vessels using a microwave and ICP-MS was used to determine the concentrations of 12 metallic elements (Ba, Be, Ca, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mo, Ni, Pb and Zn). In MS patients, we observed a reduction in the concentrations of beryllium, copper, chromium, cobalt, nickel, magnesium and iron. The mean concentration of lead in blood was significantly elevated in the MS group. However, no difference was observed in the concentrations of Mo, Ba, Ca and Zn in blood samples from MS patients and the control group. According to our data, there is a possible role for the concentrations of 8 of the 12 evaluated metallic elements in multiple sclerosis. Abnormalities in transition metals levels in biological matrices have been reported in several neurological diseases.