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MS in focus 17: French edition published

The French edition of MS in focus 17, on Research in MS, is now available to download.

Regards sur la SEP no 17: La recherche sur la SEP est disponible est disponible au téléchargement.

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Research News


	Summaries of all the latest research findings on MS selected by a team based at the Institute of Neurology, London.

A reversible form of axon damage in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and multiple sclerosis

Immune-mediated axon damage is responsible for permanent neurological deficits in MS, but how axon damage is initiated is not known. The authors used in vivo imaging to identify a previously undescribed process of axon damage, termed 'focal axonal degeneration' (FAD), in a mouse experimental autoimmune encephalitis (EAE) model of multiple sclerosis. FAD was characterized by sequential stages, beginning with focal swellings on axons and progressing to axon fragmentation. Early stages of FAD were observed in axons with intact myelin sheaths, and most swollen axons persisted unchanged for several days, with some recovering spontaneously. They also detected axonal changes consistent with FAD in acute human multiple sclerosis lesions.

The authors propose that demyelination is not a prerequisite for axon damage in MS, and that, instead, focal intra-axonal mitochondrial pathology is the earliest ultrastructural sign of damage, preceding changes in axon morphology. Molecular imaging and pharmacological experiments showed that macrophage-derived reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS) could trigger mitochondrial pathology and initiate FAD in EAE mice, and that neutralization of ROS and RNS rescued axons that had already entered the degenerative process. The authors conclude that inflammatory axon damage might be spontaneously reversible and thus a potential target for therapy.

authors: Siger M, Durko A, Nicpan A, Konarska M, Grudziecka M, Selmaj K.

source: Nat Med. 2011 Mar 27. [Epub ahead of print]

Appendicectomy and multiple sclerosis risk

Appendicectomy due to appendicitis has previously been shown to be inversely related to risk of some immune mediated diseases. Previous studies looking at the link with MS have been inconclusive. This study from Sweden suggests that the reason for appendicectomy may be the key and suggest that surgery for appendicitis with perforation was associated with a lower risk of MS (Odds ratio 0.86) that didn’t reach statistical significance, whereas appendicectomy for appendicitis without perforation had an odds ratio of 1.14. These results may help to explain why earlier studies of the association of appendicitis and MS risk have been inconsistent, as there may be variation by the diagnosis underlying appendicectomy

authors: Roshanisefat H, Bahmanyar S, Hillert J, Olsson T, Montgomery SM.

source: Eur J Neurol. 2011 Apr;18(4):667-9

Two frequent polymorphisms of angiotensinogen and their association with multiple sclerosis progression rate

Researchers from the Czech Republic report their findings that polymorphisms in the angiotensinogen gene may be linked with MS. A significant association was found with M235T polymorphism and disease progression. The MM homozygotes had the lowest (3.8), heterozygotes MT higher (5.2) and homozygotes TT the highest (5.4) mean MSSS values. Other polymorphisms included in the study did not have significant association with disease progression.

authors: Hladikova M, Vašků A, Stourač P, Benešová Y, Bednařík J.

source: J Neurol Sci. 2011 Apr 15;303(1-2):31-4

Discontinuation of interferon beta therapy in multiple sclerosis patients with high pre-treatment disease activity leads to prompt return to previous disease activity

This interesting study followed up a cohort of patients with MS who had a good response to therapy with interferon beta after discontinuation of therapy. In total 43 patients who discontinued treatment after approximately 2 years of treatment were followed up for an average of 34 months. During the observation period 28 patients (65.1%) experienced severe relapses. Of these, 16 patients (57.2%) had one relapse, 9 (32.1%) had two relapses, and 3 (10.7%) had three relapses.

Although the study wasn’t controlled the authors suggest that results indicate that MS patients with high pre-treatment activity and a good response to interferon beta therapy should remain on treatment, and that discontinuation of this therapy should not be recommended.

authors: Siger M, Durko A, Nicpan A, Konarska M, Grudziecka M, Selmaj K.

source: J Neurol Sci. 2011 Apr 15;303(1-2):50-2.

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