Sydney: Nano particles could prevent the immune system from attack of multiple sclerosis (MS), a debilitating nerve disease diagnosed between 20 and 40 years, according to a finding. MS affects any area of the brain, optic nerve, and spinal cord, damaging the myelin sheath, which protects the nerve cells, slowing down or halting exchange of nerve signals. The symptoms vary from mild limb numbness to paralysis and blindness.
"This finding (based on mice models) could potentially be used to halt auto-immune diseases, such as Type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis, and immune-mediated diseases, such as food allergy and asthma," said Nicholas King, professor at the University of Sydney Medical School, the journal Nature Biotechnology reported. "We still have many experiments to do to confirm this but our research is a genuine coup which promises to make an impact on a range of illnesses," said King, who co-authored the study with Stephen Miller, professor at Northwestern University, US, according to a Sydney statement.
Daniel Getts from Northwestern who led the study was formerly King's doctoral student at the University of Sydney. "Till date immuno-suppressant therapy to control MS has had varying success but has always been a double-edged sword," said King. "When you suppress the immune system you remove the ability of the body to fight off infectious organisms and destroy emerging cancers," added King.
The researchers injected small myelin proteins attached to tiny particles, just 500 nanometres across, into the bloodstream of mice. The particles travel to
02:26 PM, Nov 23, 2012
Chennai: One in a lakh Indians is thought to suffer from multiple sclerosis, a life-long disorder of the nervous system. Support groups are lobbying to bring the disease under the Disability Act, and are fighting for insurance cover. It was 18 years ago that Mariam Nisreen was struck by multiple sclerosis. She just woke up one day, feeling pain in her eyes, tingling in her feet and parts of her...
10:39 AM, Feb 21, 2012
London: A pill for multiple sclerosis (MS) could be available after regulators agree to grant a licence. MS is the most common disabling neurological condition, affecting almost 100,000 Britons. Every week 50 young people are diagnosed with it. The drug, fingolimod, has been found to slow down the progress of the disease and has been given preliminary approval by EU regulators, the New England Journal of Medicine reports. The once-a-day...
05:39 PM, Jan 23, 2011
London: Damage caused by multiple sclerosis could be reversed by activating stem cells that can repair injury in the central nervous system, a study has shown. Researchers from the Universities of Cambridge and Edinburgh have identified a mechanism essential for regenerating insulating layers - known as myelin sheaths - that protect nerve fibres in the brain, a University of Cambridge release said. In additional studies in rodents, they showed how...
04:19 PM, Dec 07, 2010
Melbourne: India were bounced and bruised at the MCG, declared a gleeful Australian media which on Friday hailed their cricket team for their surprise humbling of the famed batting line-up of the visitors in the first Test here. The much vaunted Indian batting line-up came under attack from the Australian media as the visitors could post just 282 and 169 in the two innings against an inexperienced home side bowling... 
