Research Promoting Remyelination


Salehi Z, Hadiyan SP, Navidi R. Neurotrophic Factor Role in Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Expression in Cuprizone-Induced Multiple Sclerosis Mice. Cell Mol Neurobiol. 2013 Feb 27. [Epub ahead of print]

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system that leads to loss of myelin and oligodendrocytes and damage to axons. Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) is a minor component of the myelin sheath, but is an important autoantigen linked to the pathogenesis of MS. Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) has been shown to enhance the generation, maturation, and survival of oligodendrocytes in culture medium. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the role of CNTF on MOG expression in the cerebral cortex of Cuprizone-induced MS mice. The mice were treated by Cuprizone for five weeks in order to induce MS. The mice were then divided into 3 groups. The first group was injected subcutaneously (SC) by CNTF in the amount of 250 μg/kg per day. The second group (SHAM) was injected SC by normal saline and the third group was left without injection as the control group. After four weeks the mice were killed and the cerebral cortex was harvested and the expression of MOG was studied by Western blotting. The data from this study show that the MOG expression was significantly increased in the CNTF-injected group as compared to the other groups. It is concluded that CNTF increases the MOG expression and may be important in the pathophysiology of MS. It is also concluded that CNTF may play a role in the process of remyelination by inducing the MOG expression.
I post this as I know there is an interest in remyelination, this experimental study suggests that a glial growth factor can help promote remyelination. This is encouraging, but this is still an long way off this being a drug. These types of growth factors often have more than one effect depending on which cell type. At Team G we have been looking inot ways of trying to target these types of molecules in to areas where they are needed.

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