Serum HGF and APN2 are associated with disability worsening in SPMS.

There are no reliable biomarkers that predict disability worsening in progressive Multiple Sclerosis (MS). We analyzed circulating biomarkers of hypoxia and angiogenesis in people with Secondary Progressive MS (SPMS) who participated in a clinical trial and were monitored prospectively for disability worsening. Concentrations of glucose transporter-1 (Glut-1), a marker of hypoxia, were higher in SPMS compared to controls. Moreover, low levels of angiopoietin-2 (APN2) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) were associated with disability worsening, while neurofilament light, an emerging biomarker in MS, was not. APN2 and HGF are neurotrophic and could be both potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets in SPMS.