January 25, 2024 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Diets promoting inflammation may slowly lead to depression, anxiety Foods that promote inflammation appear to contribute to the development over time of depression and anxiety in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a study that followed patients for 10 years reports. A pro-inflammatory diet, however, was not linked to fatigue, a common MS symptom. āIf the relationship with…
October 31, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Gut bacteria can differ among MS patients by genetic disease risk People with a higher genetic risk for multiple sclerosis (MS) were seen to have detectable differences in their gut bacteria in a small study. “There seems to be an association between genetic risk score and [changes in gut bacteria] in triggering the disease in a small cohort of MS…
February 27, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD ACTRIMS 2023: ‘Bacteria X’ in gut microbiome may drive inflammation A certain bacterial species is enriched in the gut of people with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) and may promote neuroinflammation and drive disability progression in these patients, a study found. When isolated from SPMS patients and given to a mouse model, this strain led to more pronounced neurological…
February 22, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Receptor may link gut microbiome to immune system in MS: Study The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) may facilitate or “tune” the crosstalk between the gut microbiome and the immune responses that have been implicated in multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study found. Deleting this receptor in a set of immune T-cells ā a suspected factor in MS onset and progression…
February 20, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD ACTRIMS 2023: Forum opens Thursday with theme of ‘going viral’ The multiple sclerosis (MS) community is gearing up for the eighth annual Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) Forum, taking place this week both virtually and in San Diego, California. The yearly meeting, occurring Feb. 23-25 at theĀ Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina, is bringing together…
January 9, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Differences in Bacteria, Viruses in MS Patients’ Guts Seen in Study The amounts of more than 60 species of bacteria are altered in the gut in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) compared with those without the disease, a new study reports. Researchers also identified differences in the makeup of viruses that infect gut bacteria in patients, which they said may…
December 22, 2022 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Cutting Brain-gut Vagus Nerve Lessens Loss of Myelin in MS Mice Severing the lower part of the vagus nerve ā one of the main neurological pathways that connects the brain to the gut ā led to less myelin loss in a mouse model that’s commonly used to study multiple sclerosis (MS). The findings suggest that the vagus nerve plays…
December 19, 2022 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Lcn-2 Protein Marks Intestinal Inflammation in MS, Study Shows People with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) have elevated levels of the lipocalin 2 (Lcn-2) protein in their stool samples, a marker for intestinal inflammation, compared with healthy controls, a study demonstrated. Among patients, findings also demonstrated those with high fecal Lcn-2 had changes in their gut microbiome, the collection…
December 6, 2022 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Gut Microbiome Composition May Help Predict Treatment Side Effects Differences in the composition of the gut microbiome are associated with an altered risk of low immune cell counts as a side effect of treatment with the multiple sclerosis (MS) therapy Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate). The findings provide further insights on how the gut microbiome ā the billions of…
February 2, 2022 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD How Eating Meat Affects MS via Gut Microbiome, Immune Cells Detailed A relationship between meat consumption and how it affects gut bacteria, immune cell profiles, and metabolism was identified in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) participating in a small study. Specifically, a diet rich in meat was associated with a decrease inĀ Bacteriodes thetaiotaomicron, a common gut bacteriaĀ that works…
November 30, 2020 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News That Caught My Eye Last Week: More Tysabri Benefits, Long-term Ocrevus Data, Trial Diversity, MS and the Gut Tysabri Affects Immune System Beyond Known MS Target, Study Finds Tysabri (natalizumab) slows multiple sclerosis progression by blocking some immune cells from entering the central nervous system, where they attack the myelin coating of nerves. Yet this study shows that Tysabri may also significantly reduce the number of proteins…
September 2, 2020 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Altered Gut Microbiome, Metabolism Found in Japanese RRMS, SPMS Patients, Study Reveals Alterations in gut bacteria and bacterial metabolism were found in Japanese people at different stages of multiple sclerosis (MS) compared to healthy controls, a study reports. Reduced fatty acid synthesis in gut bacteria found in those with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS)…
March 16, 2020 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Metabolite of Gut Bacteria, as Supplement, May Regulate Immune System A short-chain fatty acid produced by gut bacteria helps to counteract inflammatory responses in multiple sclerosis (MS) by promoting greater numbers of regulatory immune cells, a study reports. But the bacterial composition of the gut (its microbiome) of MS patients is deficient in bacteria that produce this acid ā…
December 3, 2019 News by Ana Pena PhD microRNA Found in Gut Microbiome May Unlock Future Therapeutic Approach for MS A small RNA molecule found in high levels in the gut of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) could be used to develop a new therapy for MS in the future, an early research study reports. Orally giving this microRNA ā called miR-30d ā to mouse models of…
November 25, 2019 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Gut Microbiome Changes Evident in Newly Diagnosed MS Patients, Study Says A DNA analysis to identify changes in the gut microbiome in people newly diagnosed withĀ multiple sclerosisĀ ā who have yet to begin using disease-modifying therapies ā showed that all, regardless of ethnic background, have an abundance of the bacteria group Clostridia compared to people…
September 27, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS ExeGi Pharma’s Probiotic Visbiome Will Be Tested in MS Clinical Trial ExeGi Pharma announced a new clinical trial testing its probiotic Visbiome in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The study will further evaluate whether changing bacteria in the gut could be therapeutically beneficial in MS. The human body hosts millions upon millions of bacterial guests, the majority of which…
December 7, 2018 News by Alana Kessler MS RD Treating MS with Holistic Behaviors and Strategies: A Nutritionist’s View When I first met Stephanie in March, she was like any healthy 28-year-old coming in to see me for a nutrition consult. Her positive attitude and bright smile filled the room as she told me about her job as a grade school teacher and the new apartment she…
July 18, 2018 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc Non-fermentable Fiber Diet Helped Prevent MS in Mice A diet that incorporates non-fermentable fiber ā a common component of a vegetarian diet ā during early life can help prevent the onset of autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study shows. The study, āDietary non-fermentable fiber prevents autoimmune neurological disease by changing gut metabolic and…
July 12, 2018 News by Ana Pena PhD Missouri Trial to Examine if Fasting Alters Gut Microbiome and Immune System of RRMS Patients in Helpful Ways A 12-week clinical study is recruiting people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) to evaluate if intermittent fasting can improve their immune response, metabolism, and gut microbiome ā the bacterial community that inhabits the gastrointestinal tract. Its findings may also hint at whether such a diet might ease MS symptoms or alter discourse course and, if used in conjunction with other treatments, boost their efficacy. Conducted by researchers atĀ Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri,Ā the trial is supported by their findings in an earlier mouse study.Ā Results showed that fasting worked to ease MS-like symptoms in a mouse model of the disease, the research team reported. Specifically,Ā EAE mice fed every other day were less prone to symptoms that included difficulty in walking, limb weakness, and paralysis than mice allowed to eat freely.Ā A fasting diet also enriched bacterial diversity in the mice guts, and shifted immune cell populations there toward a lower inflammatory response.Ā When gut bacteria were transferred from fasting mice to nonfasting mice, the later also were seen to be better protected against MS-like movement problems, supporting the influence of the gut microbiome on MS symptoms. Several diets have been proposed to help ease disease progression in MS patients, but solid scientific evidence is lacking to support any one diet over another, leaving the issue much to an individualās choice. āThe fact is that diet may indeed help with MS symptoms, but the studies havenāt been done,ā Laura Piccio, MD, an associate professor of neurology at WUSTL and the study's lead author, said in a WUSTL news releaseĀ written by Tamara Bhandari. Taking place at the Missouri university, the trialĀ is expected to enroll 60 RRMS patients.Ā Half will be randomly assigned to eat a standard Western-style diet seven days a week, and the other half to Western-style diet five days a week, with two days set aside for fasting (consuming a maximum of 500 calories each day). On fasting days, patients canĀ only drink water or calorie-free beverages and eat fresh, steamed or roasted non-starchy vegetables All will undergo a neurological assessment, and provide blood and stool samples in the study's beginning, at mid-point or week six, and at its end (week 12). Those using MS medications will continue on their prescribed treatment regimens throughout the study. More information, including enrollment information, is available here. Piccio noted thatĀ a pilot study on diet in 16 MS patients showed that limiting calories every other day for two weeks led to immune and gut microbiome changes that resembled those observed in the mice study she helped to lead. Its researchers concluded that intermittent fasting had the potential to positively manipulate the immune response in MS patients by changing their gut microbiome. The gut microbiome plays a central role in digestion, and in producing vitamins and amino acids (the building blocks of proteins). But a growing body of evidence indicates that it also determines how our immune systems develops and matures. Indeed, an increasing number of studiesĀ link irregularities in the gut microbiome with MS. āThere are several possible ways fasting can affect inflammation and the immune response,ā Piccio said. āOne is by changing hormone levels. We found that levels of the anti-inflammatory hormone corticosterone were nearly twice as high in the fasting mice. But it also could act through the gut microbiome.ā The new trial will allowĀ the team to analyze more deeply the effects of a fasting diet ā and perhaps gather evidence for a larger study investigating if skipping meals can ease MS symptoms. Its goal is to find out "whether people on limited fasts undergo changes to their metabolism, immune response and microbiome similar to what we see in the mouse,ā Piccio said. āI donāt think any physician working with this disease thinks you can cure MS with diet alone,ā she added,Ā ābut we may be able to use it as an add-on to current treatments to help people feel better.ā
January 15, 2018 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Probiotics Increase Punch of Treatments That Decrease Inflammation in MS, Study Shows Probiotics increased the punch of treatments that decrease the inflammation associated with multiple sclerosis, a study found. Using the supplements to add helpful bacteria to the gut may be a way to improve patients’ Ā outcomes, researchers added. The team from Harvard University-affiliated Brigham and Womenās Hospital did not…
August 14, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Human Gut Microbes May Help Suppress MS, New Research Suggests A bacteria present in the gut, called Prevotella histicola, prevented multiple sclerosis from developing in a preclinical mouse model, found researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, along with colleagues at the University of Iowa. Current research suggests that alterations to the gut microbiome residing in human intestines may potentially trigger inflammatory diseases such as MS. In an attempt to identify which gut resident bacteria are capable of modulating immune responses, researchers studied cultured small pieces of intestine tissue extracted from biopsies of patients with celiac disease. The team then isolated three bacteria strains and found that one of species ā P. histicola ā had the capacity to suppress MS in a preclinical animal model of the disease. āThis is an early discovery but an avenue that bears further study," Dr. Joseph Murray, a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist and the study's lead author, said in a press release. "If we can use the microbes already in the human body to treat human disease beyond the gut itself, we may be onto a new era of medicine. We are talking about bugs as drugs." By investigating how P. histicola modulated immune responses to suppress MS, researchers found that bacteria decreased the expression of two pro-inflammatory cytokines ā interferon-gamma and interleukin (IL)-17. Overall results show that P. histicola has immune modulatory activity and can suppress abnormal immune responses, which ultimately prevent autoimmunity. This supports the idea that maintaining a healthy microbial community within our intestines is a potential therapeutic strategy for MS. "Our work is a classic example of a bedside-to-bench and potentially back to bedside study. Recent MS microbiome studies have shown the lack of Prevotella genus in patients with the disease and an increase when patients were treated with disease-modifying drugs," said Ashutosh Mangalam, the study's first author and an assistant professor of pathology at University of Iowa's Carver College of Medicine. "And it's not just for MS, because this may have a similar modulating effect on other nervous system and autoimmune diseases."
July 14, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD High Levels of Pro-Inflammatory Immune Cells in Intestines May Promote MS Activity, Study Reports People with multiple sclerosis have high levels of pro-inflammatory TH17 immune cells in their intestines that correlate with change in the micro-organism mix in their gut and the levels of their disease activity, a study reports. Researchers said the findings suggest that diet, probiotics and therapies that regulate TH17 cells could help treat MS. Probiotics are supplements containing beneficial bacteria. The study, āHigh frequency of intestinal TH17 cells correlates with microbiota alterations and disease activity in multiple sclerosis,ā was published in the journal Science. Research has shown that TH17 cells, also known as T helper 17 cells, play a role in the development of MS. In fact, they were the first harmful immune T-cells to infiltrate the central nervous system, according to studies in animals Where TH17 cells become activated has been unclear, however. Studies in mice suggested it was mainly in the small intestine. Research has also indicated that their activation increases the potential for a person to develop an autoimmune brain disease like multiple sclerosis. An autoimmune disease occurs when the immune system, which defends the body against disease, decides that a person's healthy cells are foreign, and attacks those cells. Researchers decided to see if the findings in mouse models of MS applied to people with the disease. They discovered a link between higher levels of TH17 cells in MS patients' intestines and autoimmune brain problems. They also found a correlation between higher levels of TH17 cells and changes in patients' gut microbiome. The team then identified which bacteria were changing in the gut. Patients with increased levels of TH17 cells and higher disease activity had a higher ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes bacteria and more Streptococcus strains in their gut, particularly Streptococcus mitis and Streptococcus oralis. Previous studies have shown that these species promote TH17 cell differentiation in humans. Cell differentiation involves a cell transforming from one cell type to another ā usually a more specialized type. This dramatically changes a cell's size, shape, metabolic ā or fuel-burning ā activity, and responsiveness to signals. Some studies have suggested a link between T-cell differentiation and brain autoimmune diseases. āOn the basis of our findings, we speculate that, under certain conditions, or because of still unknown virulence factors, these Streptococcus strains can colonize the small intestine and favor TH17 cell differentiation in the human gut mucosa [linings],ā researchers wrote. In addition to more Streptococcus bacteria, the team detected lower levels of Prevotella bacteria in MS patients with disease activity than in healthy controls or patients with no disease activity. This decrease may also promote TH17 cell differentiation because āPrevotella is capable of producing the anti-inflammatory metabolite propionate that limits intestinal TH17 cell expansion in mice," the researchers wrote. Overall, the team concluded that āour data demonstrate that brain autoimmunity is associated with specific microbiota modifications and excessive TH17 cell expansion in the human intestine.ā The findings suggest that regulating TH17 cell expansion, along with changes in diet aimed at regulating intestinal linings, could be ways to help treat MS.
March 15, 2017 Columns by Cathy Chester More and More Studies Linking Multiple Sclerosis to the Gut Microbiome The past few months have not been fun. We lost my father-in-law, put our beloved cat down, and moved from our home to a townhouse that is too small and poorly built. With a low inventory of rental properties in our area, and…
July 15, 2016 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD Gut Microbiome in MS Patients Seen to Favor Inflammatory Bacteria in Study A link indeed appears to exist between multiple sclerosis (MS) and unusual changes in theĀ bacterial composition ofĀ the gut, according to researchers atĀ Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH). In their study, “Alterations of the human gut microbiome in multiple sclerosis,” published in the journalĀ Nature Communications,…
June 7, 2016 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Scientists Gather to Discuss Novel Connections Between Gut Microbiome and Brain Disorders Increasing evidence suggests that our gut microbiome is able to regulate brain processes and trigger neurological disorders, such as multiple sclerosis (MS).Ā Scientists from around the world discussed these themes at the recent Congress of the European Academy of Neurology in Copenhagen, Denmark. āThe gut microbiome can influence the central…
December 3, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MS Society of Canada Helps Fund Pediatric Study of Gut Bacteria The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada and the Multiple Sclerosis Scientific Research Foundation recently announced the funding of new research on pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS) and on the role played by the gut microbiome in brain and autoimmune diseases. Although onlyĀ around 5% of all newly diagnosed MS cases…