CINCINNATI, March 28 (UPI) -- A research team led by Dr. Bibiana Bielekova of the University of Cincinnati is raising scientists' hopes in the fight against multiple sclerosis.
Discovery of the mechanism of an anti-rejection drug being tested for the treatment of MS has revealed it's not only more effective than first thought, but might also help manage other autoimmune diseases, organ transplant rejection, and even cancer.
The exact cause of MS is unknown, but one theory is that it may it be triggered by exposure to a viral infection or environmental influence.
Scientists have long thought specific white cells that fight infection actually turn on the body they are supposed to protect in MS, attacking the myelin sheath that protects the nerves.
"Without the insulating cover, the nerve axons short-circuit, much like a damaged electric cord might," said Bielekova, director of UC's Waddell Center for Multiple Sclerosis. "Also, many nerve cells do not survive without myelin sheath."
The findings are reported in the online version of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and will appear in print April 11.
