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From Haifa to Tokyo: Medical detectives team up on selenoprotein1/EPT1

Researchers from Israel and Japan collaborated to diagnose a child with an ultra-rare genetic disease caused by a mutation in the EPT1 gene, which is essential for making myelin in the normal brain. The team found that the disease affects PE production, leading to reduced plasmalogen synthesis, but not enough to prevent myelin damage.

SourceAmerican Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology·JournalJournal of Lipid Research·DateMay 30, 2018

Our vulnerable nervous system: What affects its protective sheaths?

A team of scientists at FAU has discovered how protein molecules regulate the formation of myelin sheaths in the nervous system. The study found that Nfat proteins are essential for successful interaction between other protein molecules, and their inhibition can lead to myelin loss and neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis.

SourceFriedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg·JournalNature Communications·DateMay 8, 2018

Enzyme ensures thick insulation

Researchers at ETH Zurich have discovered that Schwann cells produce fatty acids through an enzyme called FASN, which is essential for myelin layer formation and maintenance. This breakthrough has implications for understanding the development of rare childhood diseases and potential treatments.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalJournal of Cell Biology·DateMar 8, 2018

UTHealth's Wolinsky is senior author of paper on new therapy for primary MS

Researchers have made significant strides in treating primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) with ocrelizumab, a medication that targets immune cells contributing to the disease. The study, led by UTHealth's Jerry Wolinsky, shows substantial improvement in slowing disability progression and reducing new lesion formation.

SourceUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at Houston·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateDec 21, 2016

Neural membrane's structural instability may trigger multiple sclerosis

Researchers at Tel Aviv University have discovered that structural instabilities in the myelin sheaths of neurons may enable the immune system to launch an uncontrolled attack on them, leading to multiple sclerosis. The study suggests a potential trigger for the disease's outbreak and offers new avenues for therapies and diagnostics.

SourceAmerican Friends of Tel Aviv University·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·DateOct 5, 2016