November 12, 2019 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Long-term IFN-Beta Treatment Normalizes Immune Balance in RRMS, Study Shows Long-term treatment with interferon beta (IFN-beta) corrects the defective immune balance characteristic of people withĀ relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosisĀ (RRMS), a study has found. The study also identified more than 200 genes with significantly different activity between complete and partial responders to IFN-beta treatment, which could be used to identify which…
October 29, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Levels of Infection-fighting Antibodies Low in Blood of People with MS, Study Finds People with multiple sclerosis (MS) tend to have low levels in their blood serum of certain antibodies that can protect against infection, regardless of whether they are using a disease-targeted therapy or not, a study reports. These levels were not so low as to risk infection on their own,…
September 4, 2019 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Targeting Inflammatory Th17 Cells to Slow MS Disability Possible with Fewer Side Effects, Study Suggests Scientists may have found a way to manipulate T-helper 17 (Th17) cells so as to lower their ability to trigger inflammation, delaying the onset ofĀ multiple sclerosisĀ (MS) in a mouse model and slowing its progression without affecting the entire immune system. Their findings may lead to new treatments with fewer…
August 6, 2019 News by Ana Pena PhD Research Underway on Space Station Looking at Cellular Triggers of MS and Parkinson’s An ongoing experiment at the International Space Station may help identify triggers for multiple sclerosis (MS) andĀ Parkinson’s disease by studying how nerve cells and immune cells interact when exposed to microgravity. Using patient-derived cells, researchers will study the way nerve cells grow, survive, and change their gene…
July 11, 2019 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Targeting Oct1 Protein in T-cells Might Prevent Autoimmune Reactions, MS Mouse Study Finds Targeting a protein found in immune T-cells called Oct1 may help prevent the misguided immune response seen in autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS), a study shows. Most importantly, a lack of Oct1 does not influence the immune systemās ability to fight viral infections. The study āT cell-selective…
June 26, 2019 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Rare Variants of Inflammasome Proteins and Regulatory Signals More Common in MS Patients, Study Finds Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) have more genetic variants of genes that regulate the pro-inflammatory signals of protein complexes called inflammasomes, according to new research. The findings support the importance of inflammasomes, which play an important role in the innate immune system, in the development of MS. The study,…
June 18, 2019 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD Immune System Activation Induced by Filgrastim Likely Beneficial for Patients with Tysabri-associated PML, Study Says Immune system activation induced by filgrastim may be beneficial for patients with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy associated with the use of Tysabri (natalizumab), without worsening multiple sclerosis (MS) progression, a study says. The study with that finding, “Treatment of natalizumabāassociated PML with filgrastim,” was published in…
June 14, 2019 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD ‘Pregnancy Compensation Hypothesis’ May Explain Greater MS Risk for Women A mismatch ā between the ancestral immune function changes induced by the placenta and fewer modern-day pregnancies ā may help explain the greater risk for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other autoimmune diseases in women in industrialized societies, according to a new study. The shift toward a sedentary lifestyle may…
April 26, 2019 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc Active Form of Vitamin D Can Regulate Immune Responses in Diseases, Including MS, Study Shows An active form of vitamin D can modulate the activity of immune cells and prevent autoimmune reactions known to be involved in several human diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). A study with that finding, led by researchers from The University of EdinburghĀ in Scotland, reveals a new layer…
February 21, 2019 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD In Creating ‘Immune Cell Atlas of Brain,’ Scientists Find Microglia Highly Complex in Behavior and Role In mapping the immune system of the brain in mice and humans, scientists in Germany found that microgliaĀ ā a type of nerve cell located in the central nervous system and responsible for supporting and protecting neuronsĀ ā share the same core design, but behave differently depending on the specific function each…
February 13, 2019 News by Jonathan Grinstein Early-life Antibiotic Use Disrupts Gut Microbiota and Immune System, MS Rat Study Finds Early-life use of antibiotics disrupts gut microbiota in a rat model of multiple sclerosisĀ (MS) and provokes nervous system autoimmunity, ultimately aggravating disease severity, new research shows. Results also indicate early-life antibiotic use may have unfavorable consequences on regulation of the immune system. The research article, ā…
January 17, 2019 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell Seeing Through Solu-Medrol ā Miracle, Menace, or Both? Today I came back to myself. For two months, I have been encapsulated in a hazy bubble. I could not kick this persistent bronchial condition and began to get frustrated. After three courses of ineffectual antibiotics and inhalers, I had a work-up for pneumonia. Thirty minutes later, I received…
December 20, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Genetic Variant Linked to MS Affects More Than Immune Cells, Study Finds A genetic variant associated with an increased risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) due to its impact on certain immune system cells can also affect brain cells called astrocytes, a study shows. Reported in the study, āEnhanced astrocyte responses are driven by a genetic risk allele associated with multiple…
November 15, 2018 News by Ana Pena PhD MS-specific Lineage of Oligodendrocytes May Provide New Hints on MS Development The cells that produce myelin in the brain and spinal cord, called oligodendrocytes, may play an active role in the onset or progression of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study combining data from MS mouse models and the human brain. This discovery supports the…
October 23, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Changes in Temperature and Salt Affect Myelin and Raise Risk of MS, Study Says Environmental changes, such as high temperatures and alterations in salt types and concentrations, trigger structural changes to myelin that may increase the risk ofĀ multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study. The research, āPathological transitions in myelin membranes driven by environmental and multiple sclerosis conditions,ā was…
October 8, 2018 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc UVA Scientist Awarded $5.6M by NIH to Further Study Lymph System and Brain Connection Jonathan Kipnis, the researcher who discovered that lymphatic vessels are important mediators of the underlying molecular mechanism of multiple sclerosis (MS), has received the prestigious Directorās Pioneer Award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This prize recognizes researchers who have made important contributions to the development of new…
September 10, 2018 News by Ana Pena PhD ‘Guardian’ Immune Cells of Brain Respond Differently by Sex, Study of Male and Female Mice Reports Gender differences are evident in immune system cells of the brain called microglia, a study in male and female mice reports, suggesting these cells’ sex-specific features may be important to treating people withĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological diseases. The study ā…
July 27, 2018 Columns by Ed Tobias A Fall, a Scratch, and an MS Lesson Learned In mid-July, the woman who writes the Multiple ExperienceS blog had a little fall. As Jamie explains, her rollator went forward, but her feet didn’t. The fall left a small cut on her knee. Over the next few days, Jamie’s knee swelled, and a trip to her doctor,…
July 17, 2018 Columns by Ed Tobias My Lemtrada Journey: A Little Dip on the Roller Coaster I’m now three months past my second round of Lemtrada treatments, so it’s time for an update. I began Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) in December 2016, hoping it will be the last disease-modifying therapy that I’ll ever need to use. I’ve had peaks and valleys since this treatment began, thus…
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
July 12, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Overreactive T-cells Can Transition into T-cells That Control the Immune Response, Study Shows New research shows that overreactive and tissue-damaging T-cells can transition into regulatory T-cells that help to control the immune system’s response. These findings open the door to further understanding of the mechanism underlying this transition, knowledge that can help scientists in designing more effective, targeted immunotherapies for diseases like multiple…
July 11, 2018 Columns by Cathy Chester Research Shows Immune System Bacteria Link to MS Lately, much of my work has been focused on the relationship between the gut and MS. As I experience ongoing gut issues, I need to learn how to advocate for myself by learning as much as I can about gut bacteria and finding the right…
June 27, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD New Fluorescent Imaging Tool Allows Researchers to Track Immune Cell Dynamics in MS Mouse Model A new fluorescent imaging strategy allows researchers to track T-cells and further understand their dynamics in vivo, giving them insight into what happens when these immune cells attack myelin in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS). The new technology was reported in the study, āA timer for…
May 4, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Fracking Chemicals May Lead to Earlier Onset, More Severe MS, Mouse Study Suggests Exposure to fracking chemicals during pregnancy may aggravate multiple sclerosis (MS) severity and induce an earlier start of symptoms, a new study in mice suggests. The study, āDevelopmental Exposure to a Mixture of 23 Chemicals Associated With Unconventional Oil and Gas Operations Alters the Immune System…
March 22, 2018 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Symbiotix Obtains Access to Harvard Material That Could Help It Develop MS Therapies Symbiotix BiotherapiesĀ has gained access to Harvard UniversityĀ material thatĀ could help it develop treatments for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases like multiple sclerosisĀ and inflammatory bowel diseases. It obtained access to the intellectual property, much of which deals with gut bacteria, under a licensing agreement with Harvard. Intellectual property typically includes…
December 14, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Body’s Biological Clock and Time of Day Affects Immune Cells, Mouse Study Shows Researchers further explored how our internal biological clock ā known as circadian rhythm ā influences immune system responses.Ā Disruptions to that rhythm are associated with immune diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS), although in waysĀ not fully understood and, the study suggests, may affect response to treatment. A natural 24-hour cycle that exists…
December 5, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Human Vaccines Project Studies Aim to Unveil Workings of Immune System Scientists announced positive and encouraging outcomes from two clinical studies ā running as part of the larger Human Vaccines ProjectĀ ā aiming to unravel the mechanisms that underlie our immune systemās ability to fight disease. The results are expected to shed light on unknown aspects of the immune system that scientists at the Human Vaccines Project, a public-private partnership, hope to translate into new trials for diseases linked to the immune system, such as multiple sclerosis. Results from the trials ā the Human Immunome Program and the Immunity to Hepatitis B Vaccine study ā were recently presented at the World Vaccine and Immunotherapy Congress in San Diego, California. In the ongoing Human Immunome Program, researchers are trying to fill a major knowledge gap in the components and mechanisms of the immune system that allow it to recognize various threats, from viruses, parasites and bacteria to cancer cells. They are using blood samples from healthy people to analyze, at an unprecedented depth, the whole repertoire of genes that make up the surface receptors of immune B- and T-cells, the core cells of the immune systemās defence mechanisms. Results will likely advance how scientists diagnose and treat various diseases, and could prompt the development of new, improved vaccines. "We are studying the immune systems of healthy individuals to identify common elements, which could be important for facilitating new and improved vaccines," James E. Crowe Jr., MD, director of Vanderbilt University Medical Center's Vaccine Center, the leading scientific institution of the Human Immunome Program, said in a press release. Researchers will cross the sequencing information with participants' microbiome composition ā the natural community of microbes that reside in an organism and are key for a healthy immune system ā and other health and sociodemographic characteristics. "We also plan to expand these studies to complete the catalog across different demographics and geographies and compare healthy subjects with individuals with immune-mediated diseases such as multiple sclerosis, cancer and Alzheimer's, which could also reveal novel diagnostic markers," Crowe said. The second study, the Immunity to Hepatitis B Vaccine trial ā currently recruiting participants ā aims to understand why some people achieve protection against Hepatitis B after a single vaccine shot, while others require up to three immunizations to acquire full immunity. Understanding why the immune system responds differently in individuals can help researchers improve existing vaccines and potentially lead to one-shot vaccines that provide long-term immunity for all populations. Researchers in this study are analyzing genes belonging to the innate-immune system ā a general immune system response, not one tailored to specific threats ā and observing that activation of these genes in certain immune cells can predict who will be a responder after a single shot of the Hepatitis B vaccine. Preliminary results of the Immunity to Hepatitis B Vaccine study were delivered in two separate sessions at the congress. One was given byĀ Manish Sadarangani, director of the Vaccine Evaluation Center of the University of British Columbia and BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, and the by and Richard Scheuermann, director of theĀ J. Craig Venter InstituteĀ in La Jolla, California. "These preliminary data points toward strategies to understand why some people respond better to vaccines than others," Sadarangani said. "Using single cell analyses, we now have the opportunity to probe vaccine-induced responses more effectively, to not only learn what happens immediately after vaccination, but to monitor responses over time and utilize machine learning to eventually predict the human immune response to vaccines," added Scheuermann. Wayne C. Koff, president and chief executive officer of the Human Vaccines Project, emphasized that researchers are optimistic with the results obtained so far, as they "provide important insights into the scale and complexity of the human immune system and how vaccines confer protective immunity." "With our network of academic and corporate partners, we aim to build on these findings and decode the human immune system, giving the world the tools required to advance the development of future vaccines and therapies to defeat major global diseases," Koff concluded. Ā
November 27, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Vegetable-rich Diet Promotes Bacteria That Fights Inflammation in MS, Study Shows A diet rich in vegetables and low in protein reduced inflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients by modulating the gut microbiome and promoting bacteria that helps control a hyper-reactive immune system. The study reporting the findings, āImmunological and Clinical Effect of Diet Modulation of the Gut…
October 31, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #MSParis2017 – T-cell vs. B-cell Debate More Meeting of Minds Than ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ News commentary One particular session on Day 2 of the four-day 7th Joint ECTRIMS-ACTRIMS Meeting ā which drew 10,000 researchers, doctors, industry representatives, and patient advocates to hear about advances in multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment and understanding ā attracted so much interest that all seats were taken in the…
September 28, 2017 Columns by Tamara Sellman MS Alphabet: Interferon, INO, inflammation and Other āIā Terms (Editorās note: Tamara Sellman continues her occasional series on the MS alphabet with this column about terms starting with the letter I.) Symptoms of MS Incontinence A common symptom of MS, incontinence refers to an inability to control oneās…