Tennis anyone?
Lisa and I met just after college, and for a few years during our “salad days” we were the best of friends. But the demands of careers, family life, and my settling down in Maryland slowly changed us from everyday friends to old friends trusted, tried & true. About five years ago, Lisa was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. She had been experiencing a slight numbness in her right leg, which was not a big deal, but the diagnosis certainly was. Here was a healthy and athletic woman in her prime, completely blindsided by the news that she had a degenerative disease.
Since then Lisa has continued a satisfying full-time career and still plays tennis with her husband every week. So far the MS has not advanced – that is, she still experiences only occasional numbness. She describes herself, with typical good humor, as a “tough-minded babe,” and has told me more than once – again with good humor – that she’s made the decision to not let the MS advance. I admire her attitude and complete lack of self-pity, but I also know that the odds are that sooner or later the MS will catch up with her and at the very least will present some challenges.
This is the reality that Lisa and everyone with MS must face. A shadow is cast on their future. But now, new hope is being cast in the form of three new MS studies released this month.
Enzyme balancing act
Report number one comes from the Mayo Clinic, where scientists believe they’ve taken an important step toward arresting the tissue damage that occurs in MS. In their investigation of both mouse and human MS tissue, they found a large amount of a destructive enzyme in the damaged tissue. They theorize that if they can inhibit this enzyme they might block the process of tissue damage. But it’s not quite that simple. The enzyme, myelencephalon-specific protease (MSP), is destructive on one hand, but also contributes to the proper function of some central nervous system cells. So MSP can’t simply be blocked, it has to be regulated and balanced.
Isobel Scarisbrick, Ph.D., the lead author of the study, said, “If you could control this enzyme, you could possibly decrease the development of the disease.” She added that these new findings should not be reported as a cure, but she’s committed to taking this research to the next step towards the development of an effective treatment for MS.
Cell survival
The other two studies are reported together in the journal Nature Medicine and both address different types of cytokine, a protein that affects the interaction between cells.
One study comes from the University of Melbourne in Australia. This research on laboratory mice with MS showed that a cytokine called leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) directly prevents the death of oligodendrocyte, a type of cell that insulates the fibers through which nerves send their electrical messages. This study has also been tested on humans with promising results.
The other study was conducted by a team of researchers from the University of Wuerzburg in Austria who looked at the effects of the cytokine ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) on mice with MS. The mice that were not treated with CNTF developed a more severe form of MS, suggesting that CNTF may protect and even nurture the survival of oligodendrocytes. These two promising studies, like the Mayo Clinic study, may lay the groundwork for methods of curbing the process of cell damage in MS.
A special report from HSI
According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, one million people worldwide suffer from MS, striking women twice as often as men. Over the years, we’ve received numerous inquiries about natural ways of preventing or fighting MS. After working with our panelists and researchers, we’ve pulled together a new HSI report titled “Underground Cures: What Your Doctor Won’t Tell You About Multiple Sclerosis.” This is an exhaustive report with a wealth of details about the history of MS, the four different types, symptoms and probable causes of MS, an overview of mainstream MS drugs, a detailed look at effective alternative treatments, and diet and nutrition advice including herbal supplements, as well as suggested additional reading.
We expect to have the report published and available by the end of June. Like my friend Lisa, anyone who is battling MS knows that the fight can’t be taken lightly and that every bit of information has the potential to improve their quality of living and even save their life. I’ll keep you posted about the release date for the MS report so you will know as soon as it’s available.
Sources:
“Activity of a newly identified serine protease in CNS demyelination” Brain, Vol. 125, No. 6, 1283-1296, June 2002
“Mayo Clinic Researchers Discover Enzyme Has Potential to Stop Multiple Sclerosis Tissue Damage” Press Release, Mayo Clinic Rochester
“LIF receptor signaling limits immune-mediated demyelination by enhancing oligodendrocyte survival” Nature Medicine, June 2002 Volume 8 Number 6 pp 613 – 619
“CNTF is a major protective factor in demyelinating CNS disease: A neurotrophic cytokine as modulator in neuroinflammation” Nature Medicine, June 2002 Volume 8 Number 6 pp 620 – 624
“MS Discoveries Edge Closer to Cure – Chemicals May Stop Tissue Damage” msn.com
Copyright 1997-2002 by Institute of Health Sciences, L.L.C.
