New Gene Therapy Could Reverse Paralysis in Multiple Sclerosis

The researchers at the University of Florida were excited following the development of the gene immunotherapy approach that they believe can stop the development of MS and possibly reverse the paralysis in animals with the disease. Brad E. Hoffman, the associate professor in the departments of neuroscience and pediatrics at the University of Florida College of Medicine said that they were very impressed with the results of the study. He said that while they expected there to be some reversal or dampening of MS, they were surprised at the magnitude and level of the response, as well as how long the reversal lasted.

As a disease that affects about 2.3 million people worldwide, MS is thought to be the result of an activation of the self-reactive effector T cells that cause an attack of proteins inside the myelin sheath which surrounds the nerve cells. While Tregs normally prevent self-destructive activity, these rogue cells somehow escape the regulation and eventually destroy the protective myelin sheath.