summary: Clinical evolution in people with MS may vary considerably amongst individuals. It is thought that this variability may be due, at least partly, to the fact that some people achieve good levels of tissue repair after a demyelinating insult. However, the mechanisms underlying this tissue repair are not well understood. The authors studied two strains of mice that differ significantly in their ability to repair damage in the central nervous system (CNS) after demyelination and they identified two regions in their DNA with a strong relationship to the ability to repair CNS tissue. Interestingly, these DNA regions contain genes related to proteins involved in cell growth and immune reactions. The findings of this study shed light on the complex processes underlying CNS repair in MS.

authors: Bieber AJ, Suwansrinon K, Kerkvliet J, Zhang W, Pease LR, Rodriguez M

source: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010 Jan 12;107(2):792-7

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