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Society-Funded Researchers Show How Brain “Plumbing” May Trigger MS-Like Immune Attacks in Mice

September 17, 2018

In the latest of a series of recent discoveries about a previously underappreciated network of drainage tubes (“lymphatic vessels”) in the brain, National MS Society-funded researchers at the University of Virginia and elsewhere report more details about the function of these tubes and how they connect the brain to the immune system. In a paper published today in Nature Neuroscience, Dr. Jonathan Kipnis and colleagues show that during inflammation such as what occurs in MS, immune cells within the lymphatic vessels receive signals that encourage immune attacks on brain tissues in mice with MS-like disease. They also found that blocking the tubes reduced disease severity in the mice. Although this treatment approach would likely be impractical or harmful to people, this study provides new clues to how damaging immune attacks may be triggered in MS, and may offer new avenues for stopping them in the future. 

About Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable disease of the central nervous system. Currently there is no cure. Symptoms vary from person to person and may include disabling fatigue, mobility challenges, cognitive changes, and vision issues. An estimated 1 million people live with MS in the United States. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical to minimize disability. Significant progress is being made to achieve a world free of MS.

About the National Multiple Sclerosis Society

The National MS Society, founded in 1946, is the global leader of a growing movement dedicated to creating a world free of MS. The Society funds cutting-edge research for a cure, drives change through advocacy and provides programs and services to help people affected by MS live their best lives. Connect to learn more and get involved: nationalMSsociety.org, Facebook, X, formerly known as Twitter, Instagram, YouTube or 1-800-344-4867.

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