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MS is characterized by the loss of myelin the protective coat surrounding nerve fibers due to a mistargeted immune reaction. The mechanisms underlying the onset of MS, however, are still poorly understood.
Now, a team led by researchers at the University of Manitoba, Canada, discovered that the levels of a particular protein, called Nrg-1beta1, decline with MS onset and progression.
Using the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mouse model, a well-established model for human MS, the researchers found that the levels of Nrg-1beta1 declined within spinal cord lesions as well as in the blood and spleen before the animals showed symptoms (pre-symptomatic stage). That decline continued as the disease progressed.
Posted: Dec 14, 2020 5:23 PM CT | Last Updated: December 14, 2020
U of M researchers have found a potential Neuregulin-1 beta 1 protein treatment for MS that could balance out the immune system and slow disease progression.(CBC)
Researchers at the University of Manitoba have uncovered a potential treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) that could also help predict if someone might develop the disease.
The new study, led by Hardeep Kataria (PhD) and published this week in the peer-reviewed neurology journal Brain, focuses on cell protein Neuregulin-1 beta 1. Researchers found a link between a decline in Neuregulin-1 beta 1 levels and the onset and progression of MS.