Science & Technology - Protein might be important in causing MS

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Protein might be important in causing MS

ST. LOUIS (UPI) -- U.S. medical scientists say they have discovered a particular protein, TREM-2, might be a major contributor to the development of multiple sclerosis.

TREM-2, which helps keep immune cells quiet, has been found to be more abundant in the spinal fluid of patients with multiple sclerosis, thereby boosting suspicion it might contribute to the formation of the disease.

Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis said they discovered the extra TREM-2 was not in the right place to reduce aggression in immune cells, and that finding, they said, might eventually lead scientists to new pharmaceutical targets for MS prevention.

"Previously, TREM-2 had only been seen on the surface of immune cells; in the new study, we found it floating freely in spinal fluid," said Dr. Laura Piccio, the study's lead author. "This is only speculation for now, but these 'free agent' copies of TREM-2 could be making it harder for the TREM-2 that is attached to immune cells to keep the cells' aggressiveness under control."

The research is reported in the journal Brain.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International

This news arrived on: 10/06/2008

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