We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
LGC Clinical Diagnostics

Download Mobile App




New Findings May Lead to Enhanced Treatments for Multiple Sclerosis and Autoimmune Inflammation

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 10 Dec 2014
Print article
A multidisciplinary research team of scientists from Singapore has made a breakthrough discovery of a new type of immune cells that may help in the development of a future treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS).

Led by Prof. Xin-Yuan Fu, senior lead investigator from CSI Singapore and professor at the department of biochemistry at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (Singapore), and Dr. Wanqiang Sheng, postdoctoral fellow at CSI Singapore, the scientists discovered that a new type of immune T helper cells called TH-GM cells play a crucial role in the immune system and pathogenesis of neuronal inflammation. The findings offer insights into a potential new avenue for therapeutic intervention, which can be used independently or combined with other treatment options to optimize outcomes in the treatment of MS.

Working with Dr. Yong-Liang Zhang, from the department of microbiology at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Prof. Fu and his team demonstrated that STAT5, a member of the STAT family of proteins, programs TH-GM and triggers the immune response to an autoantigen in responding to a signal from an interleukin, IL-7, causing neuroinflammation, pathogenesis and damage in the central nervous system. Blocking IL-7 or STAT5 would provide a substantial therapeutic benefit for this disease. The study’s findings were published online November 21, 2014, in the journal Cell Research.

MS is the most prevalent autoimmune disease of the central nervous system, affecting about 2.5 million people worldwide, with cases showing a higher prevalence in Northern Europe. In spite of many years of research, the causes of MS are mostly not known and the disease remains incurable.

This study provides vital clues into the processes behind MS. Dr. Richard Flavell, chair of the department of immunology at Yale University (New Haven, CT, USA), and a world leader in the immunology field, noted that the findings from the study may now provide a mechanistic link between IL-7/STAT5-mediated signaling and T helper cell-mediated pathogenicity.

The STAT family of proteins and their signaling pathway (called JAK-STAT) were first discovered by Prof. Fu and his colleagues in 1992. Disturbance of this pathway was shown to be a major cause for many kinds of inflammatory disorders. Innovative drugs interfering with JAK-STAT have since been approved in the United States, Europe, and Singapore for the treatment of numerous diseases, and annual sales of medicines involving JAK-STAT are expected to exceed USD 1.6 billion in 2016. The newly discovered IL-7-STAT5 by Prof. Fu and his team in neuroinflammation considerably expands this line of medical research, development, and therapeutic intervention in a variety of major diseases.

Prof. Fu and collegues are now researching the physiologic function of TH-GM to further the development of therapy for various human autoimmune diseases.

Related Links:

CSI Singapore
National University of Singapore Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine


Gold Member
Serological Pipet Controller
PIPETBOY GENIUS
Automated Blood Typing System
IH-500 NEXT
New
Thyroxine ELISA
T4 ELISA
New
Silver Member
Pharmacogenetics Panel
VeriDose Core Panel v2.0

Print article

Channels

Clinical Chemistry

view channel
Image: The new saliva-based test for heart failure measures two biomarkers in about 15 minutes (Photo courtesy of Trey Pittman)

POC Saliva Testing Device Predicts Heart Failure in 15 Minutes

Heart failure is a serious condition where the heart muscle is unable to pump sufficient oxygen-rich blood throughout the body. It ranks as a major cause of death globally and is particularly fatal for... Read more

Hematology

view channel
Image: The smartphone technology measures blood hemoglobin levels from a digital photo of the inner eyelid (Photo courtesy of Purdue University)

First-Of-Its-Kind Smartphone Technology Noninvasively Measures Blood Hemoglobin Levels at POC

Blood hemoglobin tests are among the most frequently conducted blood tests, as hemoglobin levels can provide vital insights into various health conditions. However, traditional tests are often underutilized... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: Under a microscope, DNA repair is visible as bright green spots (“foci”) in the blue-stained cell DNA. Orange highlights actively growing cancer cells (Photo courtesy of WEHI)

Simple Blood Test Could Detect Drug Resistance in Ovarian Cancer Patients

Every year, hundreds of thousands of women across the world are diagnosed with ovarian and breast cancer. PARP inhibitors (PARPi) therapy has been a major advancement in treating these cancers, particularly... Read more

Microbiology

view channel
Image: HNL Dimer can be a novel and potentially useful clinical tool in antibiotic stewardship in sepsis (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

Unique Blood Biomarker Shown to Effectively Monitor Sepsis Treatment

Sepsis remains a growing problem across the world, linked to high rates of mortality and morbidity. Timely and accurate diagnosis, along with effective supportive therapy, is essential in reducing sepsis-related... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2024 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.