Starving inflammatory immune cells 'slows MS spinal cord injury'RSS Feed

Starving inflammatory immune cells may slow the spinal cord injury seen in multiple sclerosis (MS), researchers have said.

A study, published in journal Scientific Reports, revealed that inhibiting the ability of immune cells to consume fatty acids they use as fuel significantly slows the progression of multiple sclerosis in mice.

Author Leah P Shriver explained that it is expected that general immune suppression would not occur with the use of this drug, as immune cells not in lesions in the central nervous system are able to function through the use of glucose.

The enzyme inhibitor used in the study, which was conducted by University of California San Diego scientists, is already used in humans with congestive heart failure.

Professor Marianne Manchester said: "We are interested in determining how this pathway is utilised in human tissue samples from MS patients."

Autoimmune disease MS is caused by damage to the myelin sheath - a protective layer which surrounds nerve cells.

Serious Law, award winning brain injury law firm

Posted by Paul Breen
 

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