Development of New Therapies for Multiple Sclerosis: The Role of Methylthioadenosine by Daniel F.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a neurological disease that affects the Central Nervous System (CNS, formed by the brain, spinal cord and the optic nerves and retina). In our brains, we can find cells called neurons, responsible of sending signals and “messages” throughout the nervous system. The axons, a specific part of the neuron and necessary for sending signals successfully, is covered by a lipid called myelin, that protects the axon from different factors. In MS, myelin is roaded or disintegrated by inflammation, making that way to let the axon unprotected from different factors and even damage it, that way breaking down the ability of neurons to send signals and messages between them. The current working model for MS is that the axons are damaged because of a mistaken attack from our immune system to the neuron thinking that is an outside intruder like a virus or bacteria (Moreno, B. 2010). The immune cells infiltrate the brain and the spinal cord and attack, disrupting the signal sending...The main purpose of this research project is to find out a treatment that would cure and treat MS, improving patient’s quality of life and minimizing the possibilities of harmful secondary effects...To achieve this goal, we would propose the use a natural metabolite, methylthioadenosine, that has shown beneficial effects in different studies of cell protection, and for this reason it could be used to treat MS or even other illnesses...The existing DMT have not been shown to be effective in progressive forms of the disease, and the treatments still remain preventive towards disease relapses disease than restorative of CNS damage (Derwenskus, J. 2011). The ideal therapy for MS would be a treatment that would successfully promotes neuroprotection, remyelination and regeneration, which would end up in halting and reversing the accumulation of disability...