March 26, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Rituximab Fails to Lessen Brain Inflammation in Progressive MS Trial Injecting rituximab ā a cancer therapy sometimes used inĀ multiple sclerosis ā into the spinal canal of people with progressive forms of MS did not demonstrably lower inflammation or improve clinical conditions, according to the results of a small trial. “Contrary to the initial high expectations, no clear-cut effect on…
March 3, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ACTRIMS2021 – Dietary Restriction May Limit Severity of MS Editorās note: TheĀ Multiple Sclerosis News Today news team is providing in-depth and unparalleled coverage of the virtual ACTRIMS Forum 2021, Feb. 25ā27. GoĀ hereĀ to see the latest stories from the conference. Dietary restriction can lessen the severity of multiple sclerosis (MS) by modulating levels of fat-related hormones, new research…
March 2, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ACTRIMS2021 – Leptin’s Pro-inflammatory Effects May Link Obesity to MS Editorās note: TheĀ Multiple Sclerosis News Today news team is providing in-depth and unparalleled coverage of the virtual ACTRIMS Forum 2021, Feb. 25ā27. GoĀ hereĀ to see all the latest stories from the conference. The fat-related hormone leptin has pro-inflammatory effects on immune cells, new data show, findings that help in better…
February 26, 2021 News by Forest Ray PhD #ACTRIMS2021 – Research Examines T-cells’ Anti-inflammatory Potential Editorās note: TheĀ Multiple Sclerosis News Today news team is providing in-depth and unparalleled coverage of the virtual ACTRIMS Forum 2021, Feb. 25ā27. GoĀ hereĀ to see the latest stories from the conference. Regulatory immune cells expressing the melanoma cell adhesion molecule (MCAM) dampen inflammation at sites of nerve damage in…
February 19, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD MS-linked Molecule IL-17 Impaired Immune Cells in Mice’s Brains Sustained, excessive levels of interleukin 17A (IL-17A) ā a pro-inflammatory molecule linked to multiple sclerosisĀ (MS) and other autoimmune diseases ā reduce the number and activity of the brainās immune cells in the dentate gyrus, according to a study in mice. The dentate gyrus is part of the hippocampus, a…
February 3, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Protein-targeting Therapy Found to Lessen Inflammation in Preclinical Study A novel medication targeting the protein folate receptor-beta (FR-beta) decreased inflammation and brain damage in a rat model of multiple sclerosis (MS). The findings were published in theĀ Journal of Neuroinflammation, in the study “Efficacy and tolerability of folate-aminopterin therapy in a rat focal model of…
January 28, 2021 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD Newly ID’d Group of Astrocytes Seen to Help Prevent Brain Inflammation A newly identified subset of astrocytes ā cells long thought to be responsible for simply providing nutrition and support to neurons ā can prevent brain inflammation by promoting the destruction of pro-inflammatory immune T-cells, scientistsĀ report. Their work also found that the anti-inflammatory activity of this astrocyte subpopulation is dependent on…
January 27, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Mouse Study Links Cortical Inflammation to Immune Cell Destruction Multiple sclerosis (MS)-associated inflammation in the cerebral cortex ā the outermost layer of the brain that is involved in cognitive function ā prompts the destruction of neural connections by specific immune cells, according to a study in a mouse model of MS. These immune cells targeted dendritic spines (nerve…
January 22, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD #ACTRIMS2021 ā Forum to Focus on Several MS-related Spectrums The upcomingĀ Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) 2021 Forum will focus on the spectrums of multiple sclerosis (MS), related inflammation, disease severity, and the latest findings in the field. According to an ACTRIMS press release, about 1,000 researchers and clinicians are expected to…
January 4, 2021 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Boosting Cholesterol Recycling in Brain Facilitates Myelin Repair, Study Says New research in mice suggests that poor recycling of cholesterol in the brain impairs the repair of myelin, the protective coat surrounding nerve cells that is lost in multiple sclerosis (MS). Pharmacological stimulation of cholesterol synthesis by brain immune cells ā called microglia ā boosted the regeneration of myelin,…
December 3, 2020 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Nasal Delivery of Interferon-beta at Lower Doses Shows MS Treatment Potential in Mice Nasal delivery of Rebifās active ingredient interferon-beta, loaded in carbohydrate-based nanoparticles, reduced disease progression and nerve cell inflammation in a preclinical mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), a study demonstrated. This alternate, non-invasive, low-cost treatment strategy…
November 25, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Gut Immune Cells That Travel to Brain May Help Resolve MS Disease Relapses A particular type of gut microbiota-reactive immune cells, called IgA-producing B-cells, travels to the brain of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients during relapses, where they produce anti-inflammatory molecules, a study shows. The underlying mechanisms of this event and these cellsā role in MS remain largely unclear, but these…
November 17, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD TEPP-46 Might Worsen MS Rather Than Treat It, Study Suggests Using a small molecule called TEPP-46 to block the non-metabolic function of the enzyme pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) in T-helper (Th) immune cells did not lessen disease severity and redirected inflammation and neural damage from the spinal cord to the brain in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis…
November 11, 2020 News by Teresa Carvalho, MS Air Pollution, Once Inhaled, Seen to Trigger Inflammation in RRMS Patients Exposure to air pollution, particularly toĀ particulate matter 10Ā (PM10), small airborne and inhalable particles, may trigger inflammatory reactions in people withĀ multiple sclerosis (MS), an Italian study reported. The study “Air pollution as a contributor to the inflammatory activity of multiple sclerosis” was published in the Journal of…
November 3, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD Beetroot Peptide May Hold Promise in Treating MS, Similar Diseases A small protein isolated from beetroot is able to block the activity of an enzyme called prolyl oligopeptidase (POP), which breaks down certain hormones and signaling molecules, and is thought to control the bodyās inflammatory responses. According to the researchers, the discovery of this plant-derived protein may make possible…
October 30, 2020 News by Diana Campelo Delgado Better Repair of Nerve Insulation May Lead to New MS Treatments There may be a better way of repairing the insulation surrounding damaged neurons that could lead to new treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS), a study suggests. The data showed that blocking the protein sphingomyelin hydrolase neutral sphingomyelinase 2, or nSMase2, could improve the quality of the myelin surrounding…
October 29, 2020 News by Teresa Carvalho, MS Newly Discovered Type of Immune Cells May Be Key in Treating MS A recently identified group of immune cells saved damaged nerve cells from death and promoted nervous system repair, a new study suggests. This finding may represent new promise for treating neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The study, “A new neutrophil…
October 27, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Recently Identified Subset of Immune Cells Plays Role in MS, Study Suggests A newly identified population of immune cells contributes to inflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study suggests. The study, “A distinct GM-CSF+ T helper cell subset requires T-bet to adopt a TH1 phenotype and promote neuroinflammation,” was published in Science Immunology. MS is an…
October 13, 2020 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Human Placental Extract Effectively Treats MS Symptoms in Mouse Study Human placental extract eased clinical symptoms, inflammation, and weight and myelin loss in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), a study reported.Ā Its researchers proposed that placental extracts be investigated as a way of better managing MS symptoms in people.Ā …
October 12, 2020 News by Teresa Carvalho, MS Compounds Targeting Inflammatory C-reactive Protein Under Study in Australia A search is on for anĀ anti-inflammatory treatment targeting theĀ C-reactive proteinĀ ā CRP, a biomarker of inflammation produced by the liver ā of possible use inĀ a wide variety of conditions, including immune-mediated diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Researchers at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute and the…
September 11, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD #MSVirtual2020 – GeNeuro’s Temelimab Found Safe When Given Alongside Rituximab Temelimab, GeNeuroās investigative treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS), showed a favorable safety profile when given alongside rituximab, according to preclinical safety experiments performed in preparation for the companyās new Phase 2 trial involving patients with relapsing MS. Data from the preclinical experiments, along with details of…
September 3, 2020 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Targeting B-cells in Cerebrospinal Fluid May Lead to More Effective MS Therapies, Study Suggests Immune B-cellsĀ are more abundant and have a pro-inflammatory profile in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the fluid that bathes the central nervous system, Ā compared to blood in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a study reports. The results suggest that therapeutic strategies targeting the CSF B-cells could constitute a…
August 12, 2020 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Inflammation Drives Nerve Damage in Early MS, Imaging Study Shows Inflammation drives the loss of brain volume and thinning of the eye’s retina in the first five years of aĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis, an imaging study demonstrates.Ā The findings support a therapeutic strategy of halting inflammatory activity during this initial period.Ā …
August 7, 2020 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD New Patent Filing for QuadraMune Relates to Potential in Aiding Memory Therapeutics Solutions InternationalĀ hasĀ announcedĀ filing a new patent covering the memory protective effects of its natural nutritional supplement QuadraMune, as seen in an animal model of memory loss caused by inflammation. QuadraMune is a nutritional supplement, available in capsule form, made of four ingredients with known anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and…
July 28, 2020 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Protein Linked to Inflammation in MS Also Helps to Control It, Study Finds The pro-inflammatory signaling protein interleukin (IL)-17A, which is associated with nerve damage in multiple sclerosis (MS), also has an opposing, and crucial, anti-inflammatory role in cells, a study reports.Ā These findings may explain why therapies that lower IL-17A levels have failed…
June 9, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Blood Factors Impair Metabolism of Blood-brain Barrier in MS, Study Suggests Molecules in the blood of multiple sclerosisĀ (MS) patients promote a pro-inflammatory state and impair the metabolism and integrity of the blood-brain barrier, a study suggests. In MS, the disruption of the blood-brain barrierĀ (BBB)Ā ā a highly selective and protective membrane ā allows immune cells to reach the central nervous…
June 5, 2020 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Ability to ‘Create’ Astrocytes Supports Their Damaging Role in MS, Like Diseases An inflammatory environment can turn astrocytes, key supportive cells for neurons, into their killers, fostering the progression of neurodegenerative diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study shows. This work, led by researchers at the New York Stem Cell FoundationĀ (NYSCF), created for a first time astrocytes derived…
May 19, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Memory Immune Cells Play Key Role in Advanced MS, Study Suggests In the brains of people with advanced multiple sclerosis (MS), memory immune cells reside in the brain tissue rather than entering through the bloodstream, a new study suggests. The study, “Tissue-resident memory T cells invade the brain parenchyma in multiple sclerosis white matter lesions,” was published…
May 8, 2020 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD ZyVersaās IC 100 Reduced Inflammation in MS Mouse Model, Study Finds IC 100, a monoclonal antibody by ZyVersa Therapeutics that prevents the assembly ofĀ inflammasomesĀ ā a pro-inflammatory cellular complex ā lessened inflammation and halted disease progression inĀ multiple sclerosis (MS), a study of mice shows.xa The study, āIC100: a novel anti-ASC monoclonal antibody improves functional outcomes…
May 6, 2020 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Immune Cell microRNAs Are Potential MS Biomarkers, Study Suggests Altered levels of molecules important for cell regulation ā called microRNAs ā have been found in specific immune cells isolated from the blood of people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a study reveals. These immune cells, called monocytes, transform into macrophage cells,…