May 4, 2022 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Maresin-1 Molecule Eases Inflammation, Symptoms in Mouse Model Administering the maresin-1 molecule ā a natural anti-inflammatory in the body ā in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS) led to lower levels of inflammation and improved neurological function, a recent study showed. Maresin-1 and other molecules in its family are called specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) and are…
January 19, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Ocrevus Targets Pro-inflammatory T-cells, Not Just B-cells, in PPMS, Study Finds In addition to significantly reducing subsets of B-cells ā its main immune cell target ā Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) lessens pro-inflammatory immune T-cells in people with primary progressiveĀ multiple sclerosis (PPMS), a small study shows. Notably, the suppression of immune cell subsets thought to be involved in the abnormal immune responses…
May 14, 2018 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: An MS Program for Young Adults, Rituximab Report, Repairing Myelin, and Reducing Inflammation Organizations Join Forces to Launch New Adventure Program for Young MS Patients It seems we too often ignore the needs of younger people who have MS. (I’ve written a couple of columns about this.) This program isn’t a medical approach, but it may serve some other…
September 25, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MS Gene Therapy Shows Good Results in Mice, but Human Trials Remain Distant Researchers have taken the first steps towards the development of a gene therapy for multiple sclerosis āĀ a treatment that boosted anti-inflammatory immune processes and reversed severe paralysis in mouse models of the disease. The University of Florida Health research team said it was optimistic that the therapy can work…
February 24, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #ACTRIMS2017 – Some Fatty Acids in Diet Help, Others Hurt Immune System, Study Reports Short-chain dietary fatty acids, such as propionate, drive the production of regulatory immune T-cells in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), while long-chain acids promote T-cells that are involved in inflammatory processes. Since the beneficial fatty acids are safe and can be obtained as over-the-counter dietary supplements, researchers suggest they could…
December 5, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Hormonal Pathway That Controls Blood Pressure Shows Anti-inflammatory Potential A hormonal system that controls blood pressure was also seenĀ to counter inflammatory processes in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS) by influencing immune cells to take on a more anti-inflammatory profile. Researchers believe that it might be possible to manipulate the system with drugs, so as to boost anti-inflammatory…
June 9, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #CMSC16 – Metabolism in MS and the Role of Mitochondrial Dysfunction One June 3, a workshopĀ titled āMetabolism in MS and Related Conditionsā was presented at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC), heldĀ June 1-4 in National Harbor, Maryland. One of the speakers was Dr. David Sheikh-Hamad, professor of medicine-nephrology at Baylor College of…
April 26, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Cytokine Once Thought Only to Promote Inflammation Now Seen to Have Restorative Properties, Too Researchers at the School of Medicine of the University of California (UC), Riverside, found that TNF-alpha, a factor known for its pro-inflammatory actions, also triggers processes that end inflammation by inducing a type of immune surveillance cell, called M-cells. By advancing our understanding of immune processes, the findingĀ mayĀ lead to…