Search for:
Search for:
Healthcare Professionals
Publications
Contact
News
Español
Magazine
Radio
*
Get Educated
What is MS?
A chronic neurological disorder that affects the central nervous system, comprised of the brain...
More Details
Educational Materials
Common Questions
Lending Library
Symptoms
Treatment Options
Additional Resources
Research
MS Awareness Month
Donate
Get Help
Health & Wellness Program
Get educational materials and referrals, as well as the opportunity to participate in various...
Learn More
Grants & Programs
Awareness Campaigns
Support Groups
Events
Lending Library
Additional Resources
Get Involved
MS Awareness Month
An annual, nationwide campaign with goals to promote an understanding of MS, and to assist those...
Learn More
Advocacy
Buy from Partners
Volunteer
Businesses
MS Research Trials
Supporter Program
Awareness Campaigns
Host an Event
Events
MS Focus on Fashion
The inaugural MS Focus on Fashion, will take place on Nov. 6, in Dania Beach, Fla.
Learn More
Events Calendar
Health & Wellness
Fundraisers
Support
Web & Teleconferences
MS Education
Host an Event
About Us
Programs & Grants
More Details
Overview
Press Room
Leadership
Healthcare Advisory Board
Financial Statements
Our Mission
Careers at MS Focus
Affiliations
Assistive Technology P...
The Assistive Technology Program provides information about, and funding for, devices that help...
/Get-Help/MSF-Programs-Grants/Assistive-Technology-Program
Shop
Privacy
Terms of Use
Site Map
Researchers probe gut microbiome, MS connection
July 28, 2023
New findings suggest that auto-aggressive T cells are activated in a specific area of the intestinal canal – and that activation is microbiome-dependent. Researchers said their results make an important contribution to better understanding the development of multiple sclerosis and potentially open up new therapy options in the long term.
MS is an inflammatory autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. It is triggered by certain T cells, which infiltrate the brain and spinal cord and attack the insulating myelin sheath around axons. In recent years, researchers have found mounting evidence that the gut microbiome plays a substantial role in the activation of these cells. However, the precise location and the underlying mechanisms remained unclear. Using imaging techniques in a mouse model, a team of researchers from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, in Munich, Germany, managed to track the microbiome-dependent activation of the cells live.
For their study, the scientists used two-photon imaging for live visualization of the mobility and activation of specific T cells. With a sensor protein, they recorded changes in cellular calcium concentration, allowing them to draw inferences about the activity of the T cells. The encephalitogenic T cells – T cells that can cause inflammation in the brain – investigated by the researchers specifically target a protein in the myelin sheath around neurons and play a key role in the development of MS.
Researchers demonstrated that the essential part for activation of these cells takes place in the so-called gut-associated lymphoid tissue, which is located in the mucous membrane of the gut – more precisely in the lamina propria, a connective tissue layer of the small intestine. However, this only happened when the mice had an intact intestinal microbiome: If the gut was microbe-free, activation did not occur. The researchers noted that activation in the lamina propria seems to be a general mechanism, even for nonencephalitogenic T cells, which target other molecules in the body.
They found that activation depended on the microbiome. The scientists hypothesize that the microbiome produces molecules that are recognized by the respective receptors in the T cells and activate the cells in this way. In encephalitogenic T cells, the activation turns on genes such that they differentiate into so-called Th17 cells. Through this differentiation, the cells develop the properties that enable them to migrate into the central nervous system and trigger inflammation.
Results of animal model studies sometimes do not translate to humans and may be years away from providing a marketable treatment.
MS Focus Lending Library
Books, DVDs, and CDs are available for loan, by mail across the United States.
Learn more