Four new molecules would be potentially beneficial to develop personalized treatments in patients with this pathology.
The study analyzed 63 proteins in blood samples from patients with multiple sclerosis. Photo: Shutterstock.
Current therapies available for patients con multiple sclerosis can generate significant side effects following use. However, researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden have developed a new method to identify cells involved in autoimmune diseases and have discovered four new molecules to integrate them into the treatment of this condition.
According to an article published by the journal Science, the researcher Mattias Bronge assured that “the treatments existing for the multiple sclerosis are quite indiscriminate in their effect on the immune system, leading to the risk of ending up causing complicationslike infections.
In addition, it ensures that it is necessary guide future treatments more precisely targeting the immune cells that drive disease, thus leading to greater efficacy and fewer adverse effects in patients.
In collaboration with the group of Tomas Olsson, Grönlund, they developed a method to identify the T lymphocytes that react to certain molecules diana, the so-called autoantigens.
This study describes four new autoantigens that can be added those previously identified in the multiple sclerosis and that will represent an important contribution to advances in diagnosis and treatment.
“Our method makes it possible to present these autoantigens in a way that allows us to identify and subsequently deactivate the T cells that react to them,” says immunologist Hans Grönlund.
Since the patients con multiple sclerosis can react to different autoantigens, it is essential identify the immune cells driving the disease in each patient. “Once a patient’s individual autoantigen profile has been identified, treatment can be tailored to it,” explains Grönlund.
“Most autoimmune diseases are driven by T cells, and if we can find a way to target them in diseases like multiple sclerosiswe can pave the way for more precise treatments with fewer side effects for other autoimmune diseases.
“Thanks to our long-standing collaboration with Roland Martin at the University of Zurich, Switzerland, our method will be included in a phase 2 clinical study that aims to ‘turn off’ the aggressive T cells that drive the development and progression of multiple sclerosis“, Add.
In it study 63 proteins were analyzed in blood samples from patients con multiple sclerosis and healthy controls, four of whom demonstrated autoimmune reactivity in the multiple sclerosis: FABP7, PROK2, RTN3 y SNAP91.
Multiple Sclerosis in Puerto Rico
According to an article published by Dr. Ángel Chinea, neurologist and founder of the Fundación Multiple sclerosis of Puerto Rico in the Journal of Medicine and Public Health, “the multiple sclerosis (EM) is a chronic relapsing inflammatory disease of the CNS that not only does it affect white matter, but it also affects gray matter. In the last decade, studies have shown that MS has both an inflammatory and a neurodegenerative component.”
Some publications of epidemiological studies worldwide, continue to show an increase in the prevalence of this condition. Therefore, it has been possible to show that in Puerto Rico 71 patients con multiple sclerosisfor every 100,000 people.
Bearing this in mind, Dr. Patricia de Jesús, a neurologist, highlights the importance of start treatment as soon as possiblebecause the faster the condition is treated, the greater the probability that the patient will have a more productive life.
“Treatment in the early years is very important and the more controlled the condition is at the beginning, the greater the probability that the patient can have a more productive and fulfilling life.” fewer neurological symptoms“.
alternatives for patients chronic
Puerto Rican neurologists have set to the task of care for your patients via telemedicine and remote media, preventing them from reaching emergency rooms as much as possible to prevent exposure.
“Most neurologists are working remotely, we are trying to prevent patients from reaching emergency roomsavoiding exposure and that they are well oriented and well informed, so that the patient who has any doubt regarding whether to continue or make any changes in their treatment, it is valuable that they communicate with their doctor so that they can discuss it”, concluded Dr. Patricia.
