Fig. 2 shows the effects of fingolimod-phosphate pretreatment following exposure to the sera of the nine MS patients, including three RRMS-R patients, three RRMS-S patients and three SPMS patients, on the expression of tight junction proteins (claudin-5 and occludin) and adhesion molecules (ICAM-1, MelCAM and VCAM-1) in the BMECs using a Western blot analysis. The gene discussed is VCAM1; the disease is secondary progressive multiple sclerosis.