summary: MS is an inflammatory-demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) of unknown cause. Although the exact pathological processes underlying this disease are not yet fully understood, it is believed that oligodendrocytes, cells that provide myelin in the CNS, are crucial because once the myelin is damaged, they can help reestablish the lowered myelin content. In MS, oligodendrocytes can also be damaged, which means that their repairing role may be negatively affected, Thymosin beta 4 (Tbeta4), a protein which can be found in mammalian CNS, has been shown to promote the regeneration of damaged cardiac tissue after infarction and to have anti-inflammatory properties. The authors aimed to investigate the role of Tbeta4 in reducing inflammation of the CNS and in promoting formation of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPC) in a mouse model of MS, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). The authors compared two groups of mice with EAE, one treated with Tbeta4 and another with saline. They found that the group treated with Tbeta4 showed a reduction of inflammation and an increase of OPC and mature oligodendrocytes in their brains. The mice treated with Tbeta4 also showed a significant neurological functional recovery of their disability. Although further studies are needed to confirm the role of Tbeta4 in EAE, these results may have important clinical implications.

authors: Zhang J, Zhang ZG, Morris D, Li Y, Roberts C, Elias SB, Chopp M

source: Neuroscience. 2009 Sep 24

weblink: click here

category: Pathology

related research news: click here

glossary: