Preclinical tests have shown that the administration of an inflammation-regulating lipid can significantly reduce the symptoms of multiple sclerosis while slowing its progression.
Regulate inflammation to halt disease progression
The multiple sclerosis (SEP) is a chronic disease characterized by chronic inflammation, the immune system mistakenly attacking myelin, the protective sheath of neurons. Over time, the destruction of this sheath interferes with the transmission of signals in the nervous system, resulting in impaired movement, coordination and vision. If there is to date no known cure, existing treatments make it possible in particular to prevent flare-ups.
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Helping the immune system fight it, inflammation is an important response to infection. However, the persistence of the latter can lead to pain and contribute to the development of autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
In the context of works published in the Journal of Neuroinflammationresearchers from theAutonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) discovered a potential new treatment, involving maresin-1, a lipid that plays an essential role in the regulation of inflammation.
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Administration of maresin-1 to mice with SEP resulted in the suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and a dramatic reduction in the levels of other immune cells in the animals’ spinal cord and blood. More importantly, the treatment also greatly slowed neurological deterioration in rodents.
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Extremely low levels of maresin-1 in the blood of MS patients
In order to verify whether too little maresin-1 could play a role in the development of SEPthe team examined blood samples from patients with the disease, and found that levels of these inflammatory mediators were so low they were almost undetectable.
« Our results suggest that one of the body’s mechanisms for resolving inflammation is not working properly in patients with multiple sclerosis, which could partly explain the autoimmune flare-ups they are experiencing. “, highlighted Ruben Lopez-Valeslead author of the study.
According to the Spanish researchers, this work could pave the way for new treatments for SEP and other autoimmune diseases. The next steps will consist in ensuring the safety of the administration of this lipid, paving the way for human trials.
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