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New step toward determining the cause of multiple sclerosis

Date:
December 15, 2015
Source:
University of Toronto
Summary:
Researchers have found another clue in understanding the cause of what drives multiple sclerosis (MS) disease.
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Researchers at the University of Toronto have found another clue in understanding the cause of what drives Multiple Sclerosis (MS) disease. Their findings were published today in Immunity.

MS is a disorder in which the immune system attacks the brain. It has no known cause and no cure. Normally, immune responses are triggered in lymph nodes and other lymphoid organs to protect us from a virus or pathogen. However, scientists have observed that a type of white blood cell known as lymphocytes can sometimes congregate into so-called "tertiary lymphoid tissues (TLTs)" in the brain of MS patients. These structures are similar to lymph nodes, but are found within the outer membrane of the brain -- known as the meninges. They often coincide with the appearance of tell-tale brain inflammation associated with progressive MS. But how the TLTs are formed and what keeps them there has been unclear.

The U of T researchers, led by Professor Jen Gommerman of the Department of Immunology, discovered that TLTs were created by the presence of stromal cells, which are specialized cells that produce an intricate network of fibres. They can effectively create a net, which once formed, become a gathering place for a type of T cell known as T helper 17 cell (or Th17).

"While T cells are an important part of the body's ability to ward off infection and disease, in autoimmune disorders, they can mistake healthy tissue for potential threats and respond by lashing out, causing damage. The team observed that this Th17 response resulted in the type of brain tissue inflammation associated with MS," says Gommerman.

More than that, the Th17 cells could also influence how the stromal cells organized. The resulting structure that developed was remarkably similar to normal lymphatic tissue, such as you might find in your tonsils or lymph nodes in your neck.

Gommerman says this research, which was conducted using animal modeling, doesn't deliver a definitive answer to what causes MS, but it does appear to be a "smoking gun" associated with MS pathology. With further research, it may point to potential treatment options, such as targeted Th17 blockers.

The lead author of the paper, Natlia Pikor, recently completed her PhD under Gommerman's supervision. This project is part of a larger initiative exploring B cells in MS, which is supported by a team grant from the MS Society of Canada and affiliated Multiple Sclerosis Scientific Research Foundation. With Gommerman, it includes fellow primary investigators, neurologists Professor Amit Bar-Or at McGill University and Professor Alexandre Prat at l'Université de Montréal.


Story Source:

Materials provided by University of Toronto. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Natalia B. Pikor, Jillian L. Astarita, Leslie Summers-Deluca, Georgina Galicia, Joy Qu, Lesley A. Ward, Susan Armstrong, Claudia X. Dominguez, Deepali Malhotra, Brendan Heiden, Robert Kay, Valera Castanov, Hanane Touil, Louis Boon, Paul O’Connor, Amit Bar-Or, Alexandre Prat, Valeria Ramaglia, Samuel Ludwin, Shannon J. Turley, Jennifer L. Gommerman. Integration of Th17- and Lymphotoxin-Derived Signals Initiates Meningeal-Resident Stromal Cell Remodeling to Propagate Neuroinflammation. Immunity, 2015; 43 (6): 1160 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2015.11.010

Cite This Page:

University of Toronto. "New step toward determining the cause of multiple sclerosis." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 15 December 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/12/151215160628.htm>.
University of Toronto. (2015, December 15). New step toward determining the cause of multiple sclerosis. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 18, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/12/151215160628.htm
University of Toronto. "New step toward determining the cause of multiple sclerosis." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/12/151215160628.htm (accessed March 18, 2024).

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