January 16, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Myelin Loss Can Be Assessed With Innovative Imaging Approach, Study Suggests A novel imaging approach enables assessment of key nervous system deterioration in multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study in mice suggests. The research, āDevelopment of a PET radioligand for potassium channels to image CNS demyelination,ā was published in the journal Scientific Reports. MS is characterized by damage to myelin (a process called demyelination), which is an insulating sheath around axons (the long projections of neurons) that enables effective neuronal communication. As a result, patients experience a variety of symptoms, including muscle stiffness and weakness, fatigue and pain. Although existing MS medications suppress immune responses and reduce flare-ups, none can cure the disease. Despite the importance of demyelination in MS, scientists and clinicians do not currently have a way to directly image myelin damage. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used, but it does not enable the distinction between demyelination and inflammation, which are common in patients with MS. Upon myelin damage, voltage-gated potassium channels (cellular membrane proteins) become exposed. As a result, cells leak potassium, which impairs proper neuronal communication. This prompted researchers to develop a tracer that targets potassium channels. "In healthy myelinated neurons, potassium channels are usually buried underneath the myelin sheath," Brian Popko, PhD, the studyās senior author, said in a press release. Popko is a professor of neurological disorders and director of the Center for Peripheral Neuropathy at The University of Chicago. Exposed potassium channels can be targeted by the MS medication 4-aminopyridine (4-AP; dalfampridine), which partially repairs nerve conduction and mitigates MS symptoms. Using mouse models of MS, the researchers demonstrated that 4-AP binding to potassium channels is greater in demyelinated axons in comparison withĀ well-myelinated axons. The greater binding of 4-AP led to its accumulation in damaged axons. Then, the team evaluated several fluorine-containingĀ derivatives of 4-AP, and found that the most effective in binding to potassium channels was 3-fluoro-4-aminopyridine (3F4AP), which can be labeled with radioactive 18F. This labeling enables detection of demyelinated regions with a novel strategy based in positron emission tomography (PET). "3F4AP is the first tracer whose signal increases with demyelination, potentially solving some of the problems of its predecessors," said Pedro Brugarolas, PhD, first author of the study. Existing PET tracers bind to myelin. This translates to decreases in signal in the presence of myelin loss, āwhich can be problematic for imaging small lesionsāĀ Brugarolas noted. Importantly, the findings in mice were confirmed in monkeys. Experiments showed that the radiolabeled 3F4AP enters the primate brain and accumulates in areas with less myelin. Collectively, āthese data indicate that [18F]3-F-4-AP may be a valuable PET tracer for detecting [central nervous system] demyelination noninvasively,ā the team wrote. "We think that this PET approach can provide complementary information to MRI which can help us follow MS lesions over time," Popko said. The novel PET strategy enables the evaluation of therapies to repair myelination and also could help assess how much myelin loss is involved in other neurological disorders, such as traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury, but also in diseases not commonly linked to demyelination, "such as brain ischemia, psychiatric disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's," Popko concluded.
January 10, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Stem Cell Combo Therapy Shows Efficacy in MS Mouse Model, Korean Study Shows A combination therapy of low-dose methylprednisolone and interferon (IFN)-beta-secreting stem cells is effective in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), a new Korean study suggests. The research, āEffective combination of methylprednisolone and interferon Ī²-secreting mesenchymal stem cells in a model of multiple sclerosis,ā appeared in the…
January 9, 2018 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Cholesterol Buildup Limits Regeneration of Nerve-cell-protecting Sheath, Study Shows The nerve-cell-protecting myelin sheath’s failure to remove cholesterol after the membrane has been damaged limits its ability to regenerate, German researchers report. Their finding has important implications for multiple sclerosis because a hallmark of the disease is nerve cell deterioration stemming from damaged myelin. Cholesterol is a waxy, fatty substance…
December 18, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Cell Recycling Process Helps Trigger Immune Attack on Protective Nerve Cell Protein Myelin A cell recycling process helps trigger an immune response against myelin, the protective layer covering nerve cell axons to aid in signal transmission, a multiple sclerosis (MS) study indicates. WhenĀ University of ZurichĀ researchers eliminated the process, mice developed much milder forms of an MS-like disease. Loss of myelin is the…
December 15, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Cambridge Researcher Wins 2017 Barancik Prize for Pioneering Work on Myelin Repair A University of Cambridge researcher, Robin Franklin, has been awarded the 2017 Barancik Prize for Innovation in MS Research for his work on myelin repair and as a potential way of treatingĀ multiple sclerosis (MS). Franklin is a senior scientist at the Wellcome Trust-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell…
December 12, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Protamine, Anticoagulant Blocker, Seen to Aid Remyelination in Mice Within Limits Protamine āĀ an agent used to stop the anticoagulant effects of heparin ā was seen to trigger remyelination in mice with myelin damage. But while pointing a way forward for studies of myelin regeneration in multiple sclerosis (MS), the research team underscored that protamine itself is not an optimal treatment candidate.
November 28, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Immune Cells Use 2 Entry Points to Overcome Blood-brain Barrier and Attack Myelin in MS Mice Immune cells that destroy myelin in multiple sclerosis (MS) access the brain and spinal cord via two different routes, a new mouse study shows. This suggests that therapies which target these entry routes may shield the brains of MS patients from further damage. The study, āCaveolin1 Is Required for…
November 13, 2017 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News That Caught My Eye Last Week: Myelin Repair, MS Blood Test, Comparing DMTs Myelin-producing Brain Cells Regenerated Using Stem Cells in Early Study We know that when the myelin coating of our nerve axons is destroyed, MS symptoms result. So a process that halts or reverses that destruction is the goal of a lot of MS research. This is a…
November 9, 2017 Columns by Tamara Sellman The MS Alphabet: MRI, Myelin, mAbs, and Other ‘M’ Words Editorās note: Tamara Sellman continues her occasional series on the MS alphabet with this first of two columns about terms starting with the letter M. Symptoms of MS Memory problems Memory loss is a common complaint for people with MS. Even for those with no physical or…
November 7, 2017 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc Targeting Blood-clotting Protein Can Restore Brainās Potential to Repair Myelin Layer, Study Shows A blood-clotting protein called fibrinogen prevents myelin production and blocks the neuron remyelination repair process in mice, a study finds. The study, āFibrinogen Activates BMP Signaling in Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Cells and Inhibits Remyelination after Vascular Damage,ā appeared in the journal Neuron.Ā Its conclusions offer new insights and…
November 6, 2017 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc Thin But Persistent Regrowth of Myelin Layers Sign of Health in CNS, Study Says The generation of a thin myelin sheath during remyelination ā one that continues to protect nerve cells over time ā is indicative of the long-term health and activity of the central nervous system (CNS) in demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study shows. These findings, which aim…
October 16, 2017 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News That Caught My Eye Last Week: Myelin repair, and Diets High in Fat or Salt Common Allergy Treatment Restores Protective Neuron Coating in MS, Trial Suggests This is the kind of news we all hope to hear. A treatment that will repair our frayed “wires” and, in doing so, restore some of the function that MS has stolen from us. This is…
August 21, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Mouse and Human Myelination Research Might Improve Success Rates for New MS Treatments of the neurons.
July 31, 2017 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News That Caught My Eye This Week: Myelin Repair, Ocrevus and Insurance, Cell Therapies In case you missedĀ them, here are some news stories that appeared in MS News Today that caught my eye over the past week: Q Therapeutics Approved to Start Trial of Cell Therapy Aiming to Restore Myelins Those of us with MS know that if something can…
July 26, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Q Therapeutics Approved to Start Trial of Cell Therapy Aiming to Restore Myelin A cell therapy intended to boostĀ myelin regeneration ā Q-Cells byĀ Q TherapeuticsĀ āĀ has received aĀ green light from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to proceed with a clinical trial in patients with transverse myelitis (TM), a disease that likeĀ multiple sclerosis is characterized by myelin damage. FDA approval of the companyās Investigational New…
July 17, 2017 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News That Caught My Eye This Week: Stem Cell Cautions, Myelin Mystery, Amprya Study and Zinbryta in the EU In case you missedĀ them, here are some news stories that appeared in MS News Today that caught my eye over the past week. Experts Call for Tighter Regulation of Stem Cell Therapies in Use at Clinics Worldwide I read a lot of comments on various social…
July 13, 2017 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc Dormant Herpes Virus Can Impede Repair of Myelin Sheath Whose Deterioration Causes MS, Study Reports A herpes virus that lies dormant in many people can hinder the repair of the neuron-protecting myelin sheath whose deterioration causes multiple sclerosis, a study reports. The finding about the HHV-6 virus may help explain differences in the symptoms and progression of the disease from person to person, researchers said.
June 16, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Tiny Particles Carrying Myelin Antigens Seen to Restore Immune Tolerance in MS Mice Model Researchers managed to change the immune system ā replacing inflammation with immune tolerance ā in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS) using so-called quantum dots, orĀ nano-sized particles carryingĀ pieces of myelin. Experiments with this advanced technological solution may helpĀ researchers design MS therapies that are based on promoting regulatory T-cells rather…
June 2, 2017 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc Acne Therapy Reduces Rate of Multiple Sclerosis Progression, Canadian Study Reports A common acne medicine called minocyclineĀ can reduce the rate of multiple sclerosis progression in patients who are at early stages of the disease, according to a Phase 3 clinical trial. The finding was from the MinoCIS trial (NCT00666887) of minocycline, which goes by the brand name Mynocan and other…
May 17, 2017 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc PODS May Aid in Transporting Growth Factors for Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis, Other Diseases PODSĀ (POlyhedrin Delivery System), a new technology designed to transport any protein in the human body, may open up new approaches in treating multiple sclerosis (MS) and other diseases, says its British developer,Ā Cell Guidance Systems. Created by Hajime Mori, a professor at Japan’s Kyoto Institute of Technology,Ā PODS is…
April 13, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD 3D Laboratory Cell Growth System Should Speed Up MS Remyelination Research A physical scaffold that allows lab-grown brain cells to grow in a three-dimensional manner is giving scientists a whole new way of studying the regeneration of myelin, nerve coatings whose damage is at the heart of multiple sclerosis. The scaffold is allowing researchers to test large numbers of compounds for…
April 5, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD UMD Team Reverses Paralysis in MS Mouse Model Using Novel Immunotherapy Strategy Scientists at the University of MarylandĀ have developed an experimental treatment to control the immune system and recover movement in a paralyzed mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS). The team presented its research April 2 during theĀ 253rd National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical SocietyĀ in San Francisco. In…
March 30, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD MicroRNA Therapy Restored Myelin Production, Limb Function in MS Mouse Model Using a small RNA molecule belonging to the family of microRNAs (miRs), scientists could restore myelin in nerve cells and improve limb function in mouse models of human multiple sclerosis (MS). The study, āmiR-219 Cooperates with miR-338 in Myelination and Promotes Myelin Repair in the CNS,ā was published in…
March 16, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Discovery of T-cells’ Role in Myelin Regeneration Could Lead to Therapies That Mimic Processes Regulatory T-cells in the central nervous system trigger the maturation of stem cells that increase the production of myelin at injured neurons ā a discovery that places the idea of regeneration in multiple sclerosis (MS) in a whole new light. Myelin is a substance essential to the functioning of the…
March 1, 2017 News by Joana Fernandes, PhD People with MS Are Three to Six Times More Prone to Seizures Than Others, Study Reports People with multiple sclerosis (MS) are three to six times more likely to develop epilepsy than the general population, a study says. Researchers believe the loss of myelin in certain neurons — a hallmark of MS — is what causes the seizures. The study was published in the journal…
February 27, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #ACTRIMS2017 – Epigenetics’ Role in Myelin Renewal Is Focus of Research The absence of epigenetic factors in myelin-producing oligodendrocyte cells make sure that myelin production is switched off in the adult brain. Targeting these factors may be a way of triggering myelin regeneration in multiple sclerosis (MS), and a step towardĀ personalized medicine for this disease, Dr. Patrizia Casaccia said in aĀ talk…
January 23, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MS Researcher at Cleveland Clinic Awarded $7M to Pursue Ways of Stopping Myelin Damage TwoĀ Cleveland Clinic researchers were awarded multi-year grants by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), underĀ itsĀ Outstanding Investigator Award,Ā to find new treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other complex diseases. Bruce Trapp, PhD, an expert in myelin biology and MS, will receive about $7 million over eight years under the…
January 12, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Key Ingredient in RegeneRx’s RGN-352 Treatment for MS Wins Australian Patent Australia has granted a patent toĀ RegeneRx BiopharmaceuticalsĀ for an active ingredient in a therapy that could benefit multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The patent is for Thymosin beta 4 (TĪ²4), the driving force in the company’sĀ RGN-352Ā treatment.Ā RGN-352 promotes myelination, or the production of protective myelin sheaths forĀ damaged neurons and other nerve…
January 5, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD MS Antibodies Recognize Protein of Common Respiratory Tract Bacteria, Study Finds Researchers have found a microbial protein from the Haemophilus influenza pathogen that is recognized by antibodies in a subpopulation of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The finding supports the idea of a link between microbial infections and neurodegenerative diseases like MS, whose causes are uncertain. Haemophilus influenza is an opportunistic pathogen…
December 12, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Discovery of Calcium Channel Crucial to Myelin Formation May Provide New MS-treatment Leads A specific type of channel that facilitates calcium flow is needed for normal development of cells that produce a shield, called myelin, around nerve fibers ā a finding that could open up new approaches to regenerating the myelin-producing cells (called oligodendrocytes) lost in multiple sclerosis (MS). Researchers now hope to…