CHI3L1 in Multiple Sclerosis—From Bench to Clinic

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) with a complex and not fully understood etiopathological background involving inflammatory and neurodegenerative processes. CHI3L1 has been implicated in pathological conditions such as inflammation, injury, and neurodegeneration, and is likely to play a role in the physiological development of the CNS. CHI3L1 is primarily produced by CNS macrophages, microglia, and activated astrocytes. The CHI3L1 expression pattern in MS lesions might support the important role of astrocytes in modulating inflammatory processes in this disease. The potential applications of CHI3L1 as a biomarker in MS are multifactorial. The measurement of CHI3L1 in body fluids might find its role in the early diagnosis of MS. In further stages, the monitoring of CHI3L1 levels might provide information on disease severity and progression, enabling a better adjustment of therapeutic strategies. Importantly, CHI3L1 might potentially serve as a marker of ongoing glial activation, reflecting the dynamic response of the CNS cells to the inflammatory processes in MS. Although preliminary findings have been promising, further research is needed to validate the utility of CHI3L1 measurements in the diagnosis and prediction of the progression of MS. Additionally, comparisons with other biomarkers might be useful in clinical practice.