Immunology of MS
Sun 14.30 - 15.30 (H1)
Biography: Prof. Chris Linington
Professor of Immunobiology and Senior Research Fellow in Multiple Sclerosis at the University of Glasgow
He is internationally recognised for his work on the role of T cells and antibodies in demyelination and inflammation caused by an immune response, and in particular the identification of a protein found on the surface of cells called oligodendrocyte progenitor cells that may contribute to the failure of remyelination in MS. He was awarded the Sobek Research Prize in recognition of these achievements in 2003.
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, disabling disease in which the body´s own immune system turns on and attacks the central nervous system.
The target of this abnormal "autoimmune response" is believed to be the myelin sheath, a fatty membrane that surrounds and insulates nerve fibres and allows them to transmit information at very high speeds.
The clinical signs and symptoms of MS were originally attributed to immune mediated destruction of myelin that slowed, or even blocked the ability of nerve fibres to conduct, but it is now clear this is not the whole story. In addition to problems due to loss of myelin, it is now apparent that the major cause of disability is not due to loss of myelin, but damage to the nerve fibres themselves. Understanding how and why the immune system attacks myelinated nerves in the central nervous system is crucial if we are to develop truly effective treatments for MS.
The past two decades have seen enormous progress in this area and this has driven the development of progressively more effective treatment strategies for MS. However, many challenges remain. Not least is that we still a long way from having a "magic bullet" that will stop the disease without compromising the ability of the immune system to protect patients from infections. In this presentation I will discuss how our understanding of the immune system and its involvement in MS is shaping the development of new treatments, and how these might be refined by selectively targeting specific components of the immune response.
