Marker discovered for diagnosis and selecting best course of treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS)!
Diagnosis possible with small blood sample!
MS (multiple sclerosis) is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system, a leading cause of lasting neurological damage in young adults. Currently the complete cause of MS is not fully understood. However, it is know that semaphorins are involved in neural development and are crucially involved in immune response.
In this research, researchers from --among others-- the Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, and the World Premier International Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, discovered a link between Semaphorin 4A [Sema4A] and MS. Not only does this discovery greatly aid the early diagnosis of MS, but the team also discovered a link between the level of Sema4A and the efficacy of IFN-β therapy. Taken together, the importance of the discovery of the link between Sema4A and MS can be seen, especially when it is noted that MS in patients with a high level of Sema4A was actually exacerbated with IFN-β therapy.
To learn more about this important discovery, please read the full research report entitled " Elevation of Sema4A Implicates Th Cell Skewing and the Efficacy of IFN-β Therapy in Multiple Sclerosis " available at this page at the Journal of Immunology website.
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