Researchers at Montreal's Jewish General Hospital say they've successfully reversed multiple sclerosis in mice, fuelling hope there could soon be treatment available to humans.
An experimental treatment that suppresses the immune system has put multiple sclerosis into remission and completely reversed the disease in the rodents, said scientists at the hospital, who made the discovery by fluke while working on cancer treatments.
Dr. Jacques Galipeau and his team believe the treatment, called GIFT15, could be brought to human patients within two years.
GIFT15 is composed of two fused proteins: GSM-CSF and interleukin-15. The individual proteins usually stimulate the immune system, but together, Galipeau explains, they suppress immune response.
'Jekyll-and-Hyde effect'
"If I take blood cells from your blood stream... I can purify white cells, which normally fight off infection, put them in a petri dish, and we sprinkle this synthetic protein on it, and it has a Jekyll-and-Hyde effect," said Galipeau. The effect blocks immune reaction and prevents brain damage.
This comes as good news to Alex Normandin, a fourth-year medical student, who was diagnosed with MS two years ago. His immune system attacked his central nervous system, creating a host of symptoms including visual, motor skill and cognitive problems.
"I think it's pretty impressive and pretty incredible... you don't want to get too hopeful; you don't want to count your eggs before you have them but..." said Normandin, with a hopeful smile.
The average age of multiple sclerosis diagnosis is 37 years old, and it occurs more frequently in women than men.
