In the war against diseases, nerve cells need their armorNovember 13, 2008Scientists find key step in maintaining myelin In a new study, researchers at the Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI), McGill University, and the Université de Montréal have discovered an essential mechanism for the maintenance of the normal structure of myelin, the protective covering that insulates and supports nerve cells (neurons). Up until now, very little was known about myelin maintenance. This new information provides vital insight into diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and other progressive demyelinating diseases in which myelin is destroyed, causing irreversible damage and disrupting the nerve cells' ability to transmit messages. The research, published recently in the Journal of Neuroscience, is the first to identify a role for the protein netrin-1, previously characterized only in the developing nervous system, with this critical function in the adult nervous system. This research was funded by the MS Society of Canada and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Netrin-1, a protein deriving its name from the ancient Indian language, Sanskrit, word for 'one who guides,' is known to guide and direct nerve cell axons to their targets. In the molecular biological studies conducted by the team, they found that blocking the function of netrin-1 and one of its receptors in adult neural tissue causes the disruption of myelin. "We've known for just over 10 years that netrin is essential for normal development of the nervous system, and we also knew that netrin was present in the adult brain, but we didn't know why. It is fascinating that netrin-1 has such a vital role in maintaining the structure of myelin in the adult nervous system," says Dr. Tim Kennedy, a neuroscientist at the MNI and the senior investigator of this study, "continuing to pursue the implications of that are incredibly exciting." "Our mission is to find a cure as quickly as possible and enhance quality of life," says Karen Lee, assistant vice-president of research programs for the MS Society of Canada. "We are pleased to be involved in funding work that supports our mission and feel that this research takes us closer to understanding the players and processes that could aid in remyelination." The results of this study, a collaboration between Dr. Kennedy's laboratory, clinician-scientists in the Neuroimmunology group at the MNI headed by Dr. Jack Antel, and Dr. Adriana Di Polo's laboratory at the Université de Montréal, are especially significant in Canada which has one of the highest rates of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in the world with approximately 1,000 new cases of MS diagnosed each year. ''This is an exciting new area of research that could lead to new treatment strategies and ultimately improve the life of the people who suffer from MS. We are proud to be funding this collaborative research between basic and clinician-scientists," said Dr. Rémi Quirion, Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction. MS is a disease of the central nervous system in which myelin is destroyed. Understanding the factors involved in maintaining myelin and promoting remyelination, offers new therapeutic targets and avenues for the treatment of MS. As described by Dr. Jack Antel, "Current MS therapies aim to block inflammation. In order to protect and restore myelin it is essential to to understand the molecules involved in these processes. This is the new era of the neurobiology of MS." The team is taking the investigation further by teaming up with the MS clinic and doctors at the MNI, providing access to a huge amount of patient data, and enabling them a broader clinical perspective. Importantly, this newly discovered mechanism implicates a cascade of protein molecules that have not been known to be involved in myelination. The study was carried out in mice and using in vitro cell cultures. The investigators found that myelin develops normally, but then begins to come apart. Interestingly, in some respects this mirrors what happens in some demyelinating diseases like MS, where myelin forms and may be stable for years, but is then disrupted and begins to fail. Specifically, the new findings show that netrin-1 and its receptor are needed to hold paranodal junctions in place, and thereby maintain the structure of myelin. The paranodal junction is a highly specialized region of contact where an oligodendrocyte cell attaches itself to the nerve cell's axon. This juncture acts as a molecular fence, which organizes and segregates the distribution of key proteins along the nerve cells axon and plays an imperative role in the proper conduction of electrical signals along the length of the nerve cell. When the function of netrin-1 and its receptor is disrupted, the organization of this adhesive junction comes apart, disrupting the function of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital |
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| Related Myelin Current Events and Myelin News Articles Drug studied as possible treatment for spinal injuries Researchers have shown how an experimental drug might restore the function of nerves damaged in spinal cord injuries by preventing short circuits caused when tiny "potassium channels" in the fibers are exposed. UCLA study shows brain's ability to reorganize Visually impaired people appear to be fearless, navigating busy sidewalks and crosswalks, safely finding their way using nothing more than a cane as a guide. UCI embryonic stem cell therapy restores walking ability in rats with neck injuries The first human embryonic stem cell treatment approved by the FDA for human testing has been shown to restore limb function in rats with neck spinal cord injuries - a finding that could expand the clinical trial to include people with cervical damage. Rethinking Alzheimer's disease and its treatment targets The standard explanation for what causes Alzheimer's is known as the amyloid hypothesis, which posits that the disease results from of an accumulation of the peptide amyloid beta, the toxic protein fragments that deposit in the brain and become the sticky plaques that have defined Alzheimer's for more than 100 years. Mayo Clinic identifies 2 genes as potential therapeutic targets for multiple sclerosis A Mayo Clinic study has found that two genes in mice were associated with good central nervous system repair in multiple sclerosis (MS). Finding the right connection after spinal cord injury In a major step in spinal cord injury research, scientists at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have demonstrated that regenerating axons can be guided to their correct targets and re-form connections after spinal cord injury. Researchers design first model motor nerve system that's insulated and organized like the human body In the July issue of Biomaterials, published by Elsevier, researchers from the University of Central Florida (UCF) report on the first lab-grown motor nerves that are insulated and organized just like they are in the human body. New clue into how brain stem cells develop into cells which repair damaged tissue The joint research, funded by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the UK MS Society as well as the National Institutes of Health and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, was conducted by scientists at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) and University of Cambridge and was published today (01 July) in the journal Genes and Development. MS study offers theory for why repair of brain's wiring fails Scientists have uncovered new evidence suggesting that damage to nerve cells in people with multiple sclerosis accumulates because the body's natural mechanism for repair of the nerve coating called "myelin" stalls out. Neural stem cell differentiation factor discovered Neural stem cells represent the cellular backup of our brain. These cells are capable of self-renewal to form new stem cells or differentiate into neurons, astrocytes or oligodendrocytes. More Myelin Current Events and Myelin News Articles |
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