A multiple sclerosis find
In study, a chemical given to mice with MS helped tame paralysis brought on by disease; clinical trial now eyed
BY JAMIE TALAN
STAFF WRITER
November 4, 2005
A team of scientists in California and Germany have prevented paralysis in mice with multiple sclerosis by feeding them a synthetic version of a by-product of an important amino acid.
The body uses the amino acid, tryptophan, for many things, including regulation of the neurochemical serotonin.
The new findings, published today in Science, suggest that tryptophan also interacts with the immune system to reduce abnormal inflammation of the myelin sheath, the protective coating around nerve cells that is damaged in MS.
Based on the positive results in these animals, the investigators have designed a clinical trial to see whether it works in humans with the disabling disease.
"It's very interesting," said Dr. Patricia Coyle, director of the Comprehensive MS Center at Stony Brook University. "There are many drugs tested in this mouse model that never pan out. But it's certainly worth testing."
In MS, the immune system's attack on myelin makes it impossible for nerve cells to communicate properly. The result: muscle weakness, balance problems, numbness, tingling, fatigue. These symptoms generally wax and wane, and vary from one patient to the next.
Scientists have been designing medicines that target this faulty immune system response. Tryptophan is a naturally occurring amino acid in the body that plays important roles in regulating proteins, enzymes and neurotransmitters.
In this study, Dr. Michael Platten of the University of Tuebingen, Dr. Lawrence Steinman of Stanford University and their colleagues fed the tryptophan metabolite to mice with an experimentally induced version of MS. It was given at the onset of the paralysis that develops in the animal's hind legs. The animals on the treatment fared a lot better than those on a placebo dose. The control animals had severe paralysis and couldn't walk. The treated animals had mild paralysis or none at all and could get around their cages. What's more, the scientists found that the substance inhibited the proliferation and activation of the immune cells that play a role in the disease process.
"It was a very robust effect," said Platten, who suspects the chemical has a potent role in suppressing the autoreactive T-cells of the immune system. The synthetic chemical used in the study, a derivative of anthranilic acid, has been used in Japan to treat certain allergy conditions.
http://www.newsday.com/mynews/ny-hsms44496852nov04,0,64184.story?coll=ny-theater-headlines&track=mostemailedlink
BY JAMIE TALAN
STAFF WRITER
November 4, 2005
A team of scientists in California and Germany have prevented paralysis in mice with multiple sclerosis by feeding them a synthetic version of a by-product of an important amino acid.
The body uses the amino acid, tryptophan, for many things, including regulation of the neurochemical serotonin.
The new findings, published today in Science, suggest that tryptophan also interacts with the immune system to reduce abnormal inflammation of the myelin sheath, the protective coating around nerve cells that is damaged in MS.
Based on the positive results in these animals, the investigators have designed a clinical trial to see whether it works in humans with the disabling disease.
"It's very interesting," said Dr. Patricia Coyle, director of the Comprehensive MS Center at Stony Brook University. "There are many drugs tested in this mouse model that never pan out. But it's certainly worth testing."
In MS, the immune system's attack on myelin makes it impossible for nerve cells to communicate properly. The result: muscle weakness, balance problems, numbness, tingling, fatigue. These symptoms generally wax and wane, and vary from one patient to the next.
Scientists have been designing medicines that target this faulty immune system response. Tryptophan is a naturally occurring amino acid in the body that plays important roles in regulating proteins, enzymes and neurotransmitters.
In this study, Dr. Michael Platten of the University of Tuebingen, Dr. Lawrence Steinman of Stanford University and their colleagues fed the tryptophan metabolite to mice with an experimentally induced version of MS. It was given at the onset of the paralysis that develops in the animal's hind legs. The animals on the treatment fared a lot better than those on a placebo dose. The control animals had severe paralysis and couldn't walk. The treated animals had mild paralysis or none at all and could get around their cages. What's more, the scientists found that the substance inhibited the proliferation and activation of the immune cells that play a role in the disease process.
"It was a very robust effect," said Platten, who suspects the chemical has a potent role in suppressing the autoreactive T-cells of the immune system. The synthetic chemical used in the study, a derivative of anthranilic acid, has been used in Japan to treat certain allergy conditions.
http://www.newsday.com/mynews/ny-hsms44496852nov04,0,64184.story?coll=ny-theater-headlines&track=mostemailedlink
posted by Bill at 5:36 PM
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