Recently, scientists as UC Davis
have targeted a protein that they believe to be vital in creating MS Drugs. MS
(Multiple Sclerosis) is an auto-immune disease where the body strips the fatty
protective covering off of the nerve endings in the brain and spinal cord. When
the fatty covering is removed it slows the communication between nerve cells
and body movements.
Scientists have tested this method on mice and
have found the results favorable. The protein they are targeting is not newly
discovered, but has never before been linked to MS. The protein is called a
mitochondrial translocator protein (TSPO), it is located on the surface of
mitochondria. The drug etifoxine interacts with the TSPO, and when given to
mice with MS the intensity of the disease decreased. This tells researchers
that a drug meant to target TSPO could help to repair the fatty coverings in MS
patients which could then repair the communication between nerves and body
movements. This research provides new ways to attack MS with drugs. This type
of treatment could also be applied to drug development for other auto-immune
diseases similar to MS. The UC Davis team is still working to gather more
information through further tests and research.NOS Themes
-Science is based on evidence
-Science is collaborative
-Science is tentative
Rachel Nelson
Hour 1 Gabel
This is an amazing feat because Autoimmune diseases are incurable. The body can't defend itself against them because the immune system is busy attacking the body it inhabits. If this is an effective way to treat MS then it could very easily lead to a way to cure MS and open the gate for other Autoimmune diseases like it to be cured as well.
ReplyDeleteInteresting article, hopefully the new medication can add to the effectiveness of Dr. Zamboni's approach to unblock blood vessels in the neck, which was 73 percent effective.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.gizmag.com/ccsvi-multiple-sclerosis-ms-cure-zamboni/13447/