Remyelination in multiple sclerosis: realizing a long-standing challenge

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a multifaceted disease, in which an inflammatory autoimmune attack on the myelin in the central nervous system (CNS) leads to extensive demyelination and subsequent axonal pathology. The challenge for MS therapy is to combine effective immunomodulatory therapies with novel neuroprotective approaches that promote repair, in particular remyelination, beyond its limited spontaneous extent. Cumulative findings indicate that immunomodulatory treatments can induce neuroprotective outcomes and provide a supportive milieu for repair processes. Growing understanding of MS pathology together with biotechnological advances has resulted in promising strategies such as inhibitory molecules, monoclonal antibodies and cell therapies. Several candidates that have shown significant effects on the oligodendrocyte population and/or myelin synthesis in animal models are currently or soon to be tested in clinical trials.

Keywords:

• multiple sclerosis (MS)
• experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE)
• demyelination
• remyelination
• oligodendrocytes
• neuroprotection

Financial & competing interest disclosure

The author has received a research grant from Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (Israel). The author has no other affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with financial interests in or financial conflicts with the subject matter or materials discussed in the article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Rina Aharoni