M S Weber, O Stuve, O Neuhaus, H-P Hartung, S S Zamvil
{"title":"Spotlight on statins.","authors":"M S Weber, O Stuve, O Neuhaus, H-P Hartung, S S Zamvil","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Statins are among the most widely prescribed drugs to prevent cardiovascular morbidity. Over recent years, statins have also been shown to exert pleiotropic immunomodulatory effects that might be of therapeutic benefit in autoimmune disorders. Interestingly, the primary mechanism by which statins alter immune function appears to be largely independent of lipidlowering and mediated primarily through inhibition of post-translational prenylation of regulatory proteins. In experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, the mouse model for multiple sclerosis (MS), statins prevent and even reverse established paralysis. Furthermore, statins were recently shown to exert synergistic benefit in combination with some agents already approved for MS therapy. Based upon these encouraging results obtained in the animal model, statins are now being evaluated in clinical trials as potential therapy for MS.</p>","PeriodicalId":86075,"journal":{"name":"International MS journal","volume":"14 3","pages":"93-7"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"27102199","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"MS therapy research applying genome-wide RNA profiling of peripheral blood.","authors":"R Goertsches, U K Zettl","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>MS is a multifactorial disease; its course and response to therapy is influenced by various genes. A goal of biomedical MS research is the discovery of sets of predisposing genes where differential expression predicts the disease course and outcome of drug therapy. Such knowledge would have direct consequences for selection, refinement and development of treatments. The genome-wide RNA profile of an individual represents one component of the comprehensive determination of disease and drug response-related elements; it serves as a large-scale approach. This work reviews the state of the art in MS therapy research applying genomewide screening methods at the transcriptome level in peripheral blood cells of humans.</p>","PeriodicalId":86075,"journal":{"name":"International MS journal","volume":"14 3","pages":"98-107"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"27102201","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Confirming the MS diagnosis.","authors":"A Garcia Merino, M R Blasco","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Progress in understanding the pathophysiology of MS has shown that irreversible damage to the central nervous system may occur early in the disease course. Evidence from clinical trials suggests that part of this damage might be prevented by the early use of disease modifying drugs; this therefore increases the importance of an early MS diagnosis. All diagnostic criteria for MS have incorporated definitions for dissemination in space and in time, along with the exclusion of alternative diagnoses. The McDonald criteria include magnetic resonance imaging definitions for such concepts, which enable MS to be diagnosed much sooner, in many cases. This paper reviews the steps to be taken in the diagnostic evaluation of patients with suspected MS.</p>","PeriodicalId":86075,"journal":{"name":"International MS journal","volume":"14 2","pages":"58-63"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"26879489","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Human herpesviruses in MS.","authors":"T Christensen","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Environmental factors operate on a background of genetic susceptibility in MS pathogenesis; the human herpesviruses (HHV) are likely candidates for such factors. HHV share a number of properties: they are almost ubiquitous, they are highly prevalent worldwide, they all cause latent infections and they are capable of reactivation. Epstein Barr virus (EBV), HHV-6A and varicella zoster virus (VZV) are consistently linked with MS, particularly with respect to epidemiology, antibody responses in serum (EBV) and cerebrospinal fluid (EBV and HHV-6A), and with MS exacerbations that are associated with viral reactivation (VZV, HHV-6A and EBV). HHV have the potential for a causal role in MS--they may be key players in the disease process--and this role could be mediated through several direct or indirect mechanisms.</p>","PeriodicalId":86075,"journal":{"name":"International MS journal","volume":"14 2","pages":"41-7"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"26879487","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Treating fatigue.","authors":"Y Lapierre, S Hum","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Fatigue is recognized as one of the most disabling and common symptoms of MS. However, no universal consensus has been reached regarding a formal definition for fatigue, and its mechanisms and causes are not understood. This review summarizes important research in this field and recommends a multidisciplinary approach to managing MS patients with fatigue. Such an approach should include proven pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical treatments.</p>","PeriodicalId":86075,"journal":{"name":"International MS journal","volume":"14 2","pages":"64-71"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"26879491","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Rationale for cytotoxic monoclonal antibodies in MS.","authors":"B S Simpson, A J Coles","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) have been used to treat human disease for over 20 years, and have found a range of applications, predominantly in inflammatory and neoplastic disorders. They are attractive therapies due to their unique specificity and capacity for production on an industrial scale. Cytotoxic MAbs, those that trigger lysis of their cellular target, were first used to probe experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, the standard animal model of MS. Since then, antibodies with specificity for a variety of lymphocytic antigens have been used in MS, with variable results. On the basis of experience with the anti-CD52 antibody, alemtuzumab (Campath-1H), it has been postulated that clinical efficacy of some MAbs in MS may not result from cellular depletion, but from the immunomodulatory effect of the subsequent immune system reconstitution.</p>","PeriodicalId":86075,"journal":{"name":"International MS journal","volume":"14 2","pages":"48-56"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"26879488","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Cytotoxic immune responses mediated by monoclonal antibodies in MS: incorrectly dismissed as ineffective?","authors":"J Killestein, C H Polman","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":86075,"journal":{"name":"International MS journal","volume":"14 2","pages":"39-40"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"26879486","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Magnetic resonance imaging of grey matter damage in people with MS.","authors":"M Filippi, P Valsasina, Ma Rocca","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The classical view of MS as an inflammatory-demyelinating condition affecting the white matter (WM) of the central nervous system (CNS) has recently been challenged by the results of several magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies. These consistently show grey matter (GM) involvement, which correlates only moderately with the extent of WM pathology. Here we summarize how conventional and modern imaging-based techniques have quantified GM damage in MS, in terms of focal lesions, diffuse tissue abnormalities and irreversible tissue loss. Results from functional MRI studies, together with these new findings, are contributing to a significant change in our MS understanding. MS is now viewed as a global CNS condition, affecting both WM and GM, which has an early and important neurodegenerative component.</p>","PeriodicalId":86075,"journal":{"name":"International MS journal","volume":"14 1","pages":"12-21"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"26728993","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"European Charcot Foundation Symposium, Taormina, Sicily, Italy, 16,18 November 2006.","authors":"Oscar Fernández y Fernández","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":86075,"journal":{"name":"International MS journal","volume":"14 1","pages":"28"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"26728996","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}