Boston Children's Hospital researchers seem to have pinpointed the cause of multiple sclerosis

[kpete]

This could be a very significant development in medical research. The press release about it just came out today.

I’m sorry I can’t go into as much detail as I’d like because I can’t get the actual paper (behind a paywall). If you can get it and would like to comment further, please do!

It’s been known for quite some time that multiple sclerosis (MS) and other autoimmune diseases are driven by angry helper T cells (T lymphocytes) that somehow mistake your own tissues for an invader that needs to be attacked. People with MS, in a sense, are allergic to their own nervous systems.

A quick intro from the Boston Children’s Hospital press release:

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease affecting both adults and children. It's driven by "helper" T cells, white blood cells that mount an inflammatory attack on the brain and spinal cord, degrading the protective myelin sheath that covers nerve fibers. But there are many different kinds of T helper cells, and up until now, no one knew which ones were the bad actors.

Researchers at Boston Children's Hospital have now pinpointed the specific helper T cells that cause MS, as well as a protein on their surface that marks them. As reported this week in PNAS, an antibody targeting this protein, CXCR6, both prevented and reversed MS in a mouse model

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-10-rogue-cell-reverses-multiple-sclerosis.html

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/10/4/1890110/-Boston-Children-s-Hospital-researchers-seem-to-have-pinpointed-the-cause-of-multiple-sclerosis?utm_campaign=trending

[sdfernando]

1. Holy #####!!!!!

If this is true and works on humans, its an amazing breakthrough and will save so much suffering!

[LisaL]

2. There have been a lot of breakthroughs in mice.

I think pretty soon we will be able to have mice that live forever.
But yes, if it were to work in humans, it would be a great new treatment for a horrible disease.

[Red Pest]

9. Agreed. Mouse studies are informative, but don't always match human studies.

The authors (Hou et al.) do point out that there are limitations to the mouse model. In any case, the suppression of disease in this system, which identifies a key gene that seems to drive disease and also immunization that suppresses and reverses the disease development is quite exciting. Still, the results must be confirmed and expanded in other studies.

[Disaffected]

11. This must be counted (if replicated by others)

as a major breakthrough even if the CXCR6 antibody that apparently works in mice does not work in humans i.e. once the target is identified, there is a good chance other treatments can be developed to counter it.

PS, I might add this is particularly good news for Albertans as we have here one of the highest instances of MS in the world.

[mopinko]

14. mouse models are a lot more accurate these days.

we arent talking random rodents here. these are carefully engineered test vehicles.
still a long process, but these humabs are working wonders in other autoimmune diseases, and the early ones have been around for over 2 decades now.

there will be plenty of funding and volunteers for any clinical trial, too, i would think.

[elias7]

46. The Mice must be thrilled

[50 Shades Of Blue]

3. K & R!!!

[LiberalLoner]

4. Wow, very promising, thanks for posting this!

[Sherman A1]

5. K&R

[Oppaloopa]

6. That is the best news I have heard in a month of Sundays. Thank You.

[yonder]

7. Great news!

[iluvtennis]

8. Most of excellent news!

[0rganism]

10. i take this good news very personally :)

and i'm very much looking forward to what comes next...

[busterbrown]

25. Well I sure hope this good news...

will come to fruition quickly.. There are a hell of a lot of people out there who are feeling the same way..

[Nitram]

12. Fantastic news!

[pazzyanne]

13. Hope they have the cause.

As a person who has an autoimmune disease, I am very aware of what role T and B cells play in triggering and feeding those diseases. Now on to the treatment!

[NightWatcher]

15. I read your subject line and it made me cry, thinking a thought I hadn't in years.

There might be "cure" sometime.

I know this article says it's early, but I'm sick and haven't even contemplated the word "cure" in more than 7 years. I know I'll die years before any cure, but just the thought that some other person might not go through what others and I have for what seems like lifetimes of pain.

I'm eat up with autoimmune and neuromuscular degenerative diseases that I got just like my father and hope I don't pass to my 8 year old.

Just the concept of a Cure for anything is amazing and gives me a distant hope.

Thanks for the story. I'll read it this weekend when things calm down around here.

[Ellipsis]

22. I'm sorry to hear this...

This news fro Boston is profound for my household.

There is a physician in Chicago that does effective stem cell replacement for MS in extreme cases The process more then sucks. Its expensive ( of course) works for some not others.

Hopefully things can exponentially move forward with this discovery.

Best.

[Cousin Dupree]

16. This is wonderful news. I have MS and it runs in my family. I worry about my grandchildren.

[Politicub]

17. REVERSED MS in a mouse

This will be a miracle treatment if the effect works on humans.

MS is brutal and heartbreaking. Imagine if a cure is found.

[ChazII]

18. This story is a great story

and while I don't have MS I do have NF. Often a breakthrough for one disorder leads to a breakthrough in others that have no cure.

[AllyCat]

29. A friend's son has NF. I hope this or other discoveries

Lead to cures for so many devastating and currently incurable diseases.

[Ilsa]

19. Thank goodness there are people willing to

Devote their lives to finding a cure. Years of learning and researching, trying, learning what doesn't work (failing), and not giving up.

It wasn't a miracle, it was hard work. Science.

[warmfeet]

20. Quite so.

Hard work and science are inextricably linked.

[reACTIONary]

39. Exactly right nt

[Claritie Pixie]

21. I hope their success with mice continues in humans.

This is early stage for sure and still a long way to go, but incredibly promising that they've identified and figured out how to get rid of the culprit T cells.

[paleotn]

23. One of the medical holy grails.

[mcar]

24. Hopeful news

Blessings on the scientists. I worked for the American Cancer Society in the early 80s, just out of college. At the time, they would finance internships for med and post-graduate students. I'd interview them and place article in their hometown newspapers about what they were doing.

Just about all of it was basic research. Some, I'm sure, have gone on to find these kinds of discoveries to help people with cancer, MS, Alzheimer's, heart disease, etc.

I was piss poor at science in my education, but I have a knack for getting people to explain what they are doing in simple terms. I've always found it fascinating.

[busterbrown]

31. I relate with your last paragraph

Come from a family of MDs...ADD sits on my shoulder 24/7.. The Knack your talking about.. I have it too.. It helps so much..but its not easy to tell the truth to strangers.

[Marthe48]

26. I have friends with MS

I sure hope this is the cure

[Ellipsis]

27. Most excellent news.

Thanks for posting this kpete.

[NNadir]

28. There has to be more to it than that.

The link, of course, comes from Daily Kos, and they're not very good at science over there.

CXCR6 is a common chemotaxis protein which binds to CXCL 16 which controls cell migration.

I'd guess that the CXCR6 is a mutant form, or that the antigen displayed on the nerve cells is mutant. The complete function of CXCR6 is not known to my knowledge; however it does seem to have an effect on the long term survival of cells addressing infection.

It is believed to be a target for HIV infection.

I'll check out the PNAS paper to avoid getting mangled science.

[superpatriotman]

38. Please get back to us !

I’m very interested in a follow up

[Submariner]

30. This hospital saved me from polio decades ago as a kid

Great hospital. Brought my paralyzed legs back from the dead. Thanks BCS.

[B Stieg]

32. I've been in remission for 30 years

but I know it can return, so this is good news.

[spanone]

33. P L E A S E !

[GusBob]

34. Interesting

Does this investigation involve genetic DNA
testing to find a cure?

[a kennedy]

35. OMGAWD......THIS IS FANTASTIC.......

[jimlup]

36. wow! I'm borderline so I understand the concern

I don't have MS but I have had an MS scare.

[superpatriotman]

37. Great news

Brother-in-law-law has MS
Wife has RA (similar, equally debilitating)

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

40. It's a MOUSE!

Long, long way to go before this might work for people.

I wish this early research simply wouldn't be reported. People read stuff like this and think that a cure or prevention for something is just around the corner, and it isn't. Perhaps I should keep a chart of when a mouse model is reported, and when the medicine actually comes to market. At best it's going to be years. At worst, never.

[amuse bouche]

41. Some exciting news

[Talitha]

42. Thanks for posting this - wonderful news!!!

[benld74]

43. Great news

I was diagnosed in ‘97, but consider myself luckier than most. I also know people with this disease.
One day at a time

[Hekate]

44. KnR

[Maru Kitteh]

45. This is AMAZING news! So good to hear.

[Initech]

47. Awesome!!!

[colsohlibgal]

48. So Encouraging

I was quite young when finally there was a polio vaccine and parents no longer had worry about their children being stricken by it. Hopefully MS will soon be mostly vanquished. Then hopefully someday ALS.