MS Society-funded Study Unlocks Part Of The Mystery Of Remyelination In MS

Main Category: Multiple Sclerosis
Article Date: 10 Jul 2009 - 3:00 PDT

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Researchers working in Cambridge and San Francisco have discovered clues about how stem cells promote myelin repair. The study, published earlier this week in the journal Genes and Development, was partly funded by the MS Society and took place at the MS Society Cambridge Centre for Myelin Repair.

Researchers looked at what factors are important for remyelination (the process by which damaged myelin is repaired by brain cells) in MS and discovered that a cell signalling pathway called the Wnt pathway is involved in remyelination.

Cell signalling pathways are complex processes in cells that, when turned on or off, can change the role of that particular cell in the body. The Wnt pathway is an important pathway for all stages of development, including development in the womb, and for this reason researchers have been studying it for years.

In this case, researchers have shown for the first time that the Wnt pathway is involved in remyelination - and that when it is not working properly cells cannot remyelinate properly. The study looked specifically at the Wnt pathway in oligodendrocytes (specialised brain cells that are responsible for making and repairing myelin). They found that if the Wnt pathway is over-active then remyelination is impaired, suggesting that the Wnt pathway is not functioning as it should in MS lesions. This is potentially a good therapeutic target to help promote myelin repair in people with MS.

The Wnt pathway has been the subject of much study in the cancer biology field for several years as it can be over or under-active in many types of cancer. If the research is further developed, it is hoped that the existing knowledge in the cancer biology field will speed up the process of drug discovery.

There are currently no drugs available that aim to repair myelin as all current treatments for MS involve altering the immune system. Knowledge of the Wnt pathway in remyelination of MS lesions may lead to treatments in years to come.

MS Society Director of Research, Jayne Spink, said: "We are delighted with the outcome of this outstanding research, which gives us greater knowledge of the mechanics of MS. This works opens up new avenues of research and lends itself to more study. Being able to uncover the secrets behind the damage caused in MS will take us forward in our understanding of this debilitating condition."

This study was part-funded by the MS Society as part of its initiative to invest more resources into research on myelin repair and nerve regeneration. Part of the study was completed at the MS Society Cambridge Centre for Myelin Repair and used tissue from the MS Society Tissue Bank.

Source
MS Society