SoxC (sox4, sox11, sox12) Gene Expression in MS Patients

Background: Sox genes are growth regulators that serve functions in sex determination, neural crest development, and neurogenesis. SoxC proteins include Sox4, Sox11, and Sox12, which cause the development of neural progenitor cells to immature neurons. In other words, one of the functions of these factors is the role they play in neurogenesis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the changes in the expression of SoxC genes in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical study seeks to evaluate the relative expression of SoxC genes. For this purpose, blood samples from 40 patients with MS and 40 healthy controls were examined. Total RNA extraction and complementary DNA synthesis (cDNA) were then performed, and the relative expression of the three genes Sox4, Sox11 and Sox12 was then obtained by real-time PCR. The data collected were analyzed using statistical methods. Results: The results showed that the expression of Sox4, Sox11 and Sox12 genes were significantly downregulated in the patients with MS compared to the controls (P=0.009, P=0.019, and P=0.001). Also, with increasing disability in individuals with MS, gene expression decreased significantly for Sox4 and Sox11, but the change was not significant for Sox12. Conclusion: The present study revealed that the expression of SoxC genes is lower in MS. Considering the functional role of Sox genes as proteins involved in neurogenesis, the abnormal expression of members of this gene family is implicated in various diseases.