Fig. 1

Racemization of a aspartic acid and asparagine (Asx), b glutamine and glutamic acid (Glx) and c serine (Ser) in MBP isolated from controls (●) and multiple sclerosis (MS) patients suffering from SPMS (○) PPMS (◊) and RRMS (▽) as a function of age. Levels of D-Asx (p <0.01, Mann Whitney U), D-Glx (p = 0.016, Mann Whitney U) and D-Ser (p = 0.007, Mann Whitney U) were significantly elevated in MS patients. Age zero corresponds to MBP purified from goat cerebellum (▼) and was used as a control for artifactual racemization during hydrolysis. All data are the mean ± SEM of three separate HPLC runs. Racemization in this, and subsequent figures, was expressed as a % \( \left(\frac{D}{D+L}\right) \). Controls, n = 15; multiple sclerosis patients n = 8. In this case, and Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5 statistical analysis was undertaken on combined controls vs combined MS patients