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Call for nominations for Du Pré Grants

We are pleased to announce that nominations are open for the spring 2011 Du Pré Grants for research into MS .

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Vitamin D metabolites are associated with clinical and MRI outcomes in multiple sclerosis patients

This interesting imaging study recruited 193 patients with MS and aimed to explore the relationship between blood levels of vitamin D metabolites and clinical disability and changes on brain MRI.

The authors found a statistically significant relationship between low levels of Vitamin D metabolites and degree of disability measured using the MS severity scale. A similar trend was found when disability was measured using the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), but this did not reach statistical significance. Higher values of the 25(OH)VD(3) to 24, 25(OH)(2)VD(3) ratio were associated with higher MSSS (p=0.041) and lower brain parenchymal fraction (p=0.008)

The authors conclude that Vitamin D metabolites have protective associations with disability and brain atrophy in MS. In particular, they feel the results indicate strong associations for the 24, 25(OH)(2)VD(3) metabolite, which has not been extensively investigated in MS patients.

authors: Weinstock-Guttman B, Zivadinov R, Qu J, Cookfair D, Duan X, Bang E, Bergsland N, Hussein S, Cherneva M, Willis L, Heininen-Brown M, Ramanathan M.

source: J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2011 Feb;82(2):189-95.

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MRI only conversion to multiple sclerosis following a clinically isolated syndrome

This study investigated the frequency of radiological diagnosis without clinical conversion to MS after long term follow-up of patients presenting with a clinically isolated syndrome (CIS).

The authors studied 2 cohorts of patients following CIS for a mean of 6 and 20 years. Of 105 patients followed up for 6 years, 51% developed clinically definite MS (CDMS) and a further 15% developed radiologically definite MS (RDMS). 70 people were followed-up at 20 years, of whom 61% and 11% had developed CDMS and RDMS, respectively.

The paper highlights that up to 10-15% of patients who develop MS on MRI criteria alone may not have further clinical events after 20 years of follow up.

authors: Chard DT, Dalton CM, Swanton J, Fisniku LK, Miszkiel KA, Thompson AJ, Plant GT, Miller DH.

source: J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2011 Feb;82(2):176-9

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Sildenafil ameliorates clinical symptoms and neuropathology in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis

The authors studied the effect of sildenafil on a mouse model of MS and found that treatment with sildenafil after disease onset markedly reduces the clinical signs of EAE by preventing axonal loss and promoting remyelination.

The results suggest that sildenafil decreases CD3+ leukocyte infiltration and microglial/macrophage activation in the spinal cord, while increasing forkhead box transcription factor 3-expressing T regulatory cells (Foxp3 Tregs) that are known to suppress activation of the immune system. Furthermore, the formation of scar-like structures by reactive astrocytes around infiltrates was enhanced by sildenafil, suggesting a possible mechanism for restriction of leukocyte spread into healthy parenchyma.

The authors identify new neuroprotective mechanisms of action of sildenafil, and propose that these may have therapeutic applications in the future.

authors: Pifarre P, Prado J, Baltrons MA, Giralt M, Gabarro P, Feinstein DL, Hidalgo J, Garcia A.

source: Acta Neuropathol. 2011 Jan 15. [Epub ahead of print]

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