Promoting remyelination for the treatment of multiple sclerosis:opportunities and challenges  

作　　者：Yueting Zhang Taylor B.Guo Hongtao Lu 

机构地区：[1]Neuroimmunology Discovery Performance Unit,GlaxoSmithKline Research and Development Center

出　　处：《Neuroscience Bulletin》2013年第2期144-154,共11页神经科学通报（英文版）

摘　　要：Multiple sclerosis （MS） is a chronic and devastating autoimmune demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. With the increased understanding of the pathophysiology of this disease in the past two decades, many disease-modifying therapies that primarily target adaptive immunity have been shown to prevent exacerbations and new lesions in patients with relapsing-remitting MS. However, these therapies only have limited efficacy on the progression of disability. Increasing evidence has pointed to innate immunity, axonal damage and neuronal loss as important contributors to disease progression. Remyelination of denuded axons is considered an effective way to protect neurons from damage and to restore neuronal function. The identification of several key molecules and pathways controlling the differentiation of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells and myelination has yielded clues for the development of drug candidates that directly target remyelination and neuroprotection. The long-term efficacy of this strategy remains to be evaluated in clinical trials. Here, we provide an overview of current and emerging therapeutic concepts, with a focus on the opportunities and challenges for the remyelination approach to the treatment of MS.Multiple sclerosis （MS） is a chronic and devastating autoimmune demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. With the increased understanding of the pathophysiology of this disease in the past two decades, many disease-modifying therapies that primarily target adaptive immunity have been shown to prevent exacerbations and new lesions in patients with relapsing-remitting MS. However, these therapies only have limited efficacy on the progression of disability. Increasing evidence has pointed to innate immunity, axonal damage and neuronal loss as important contributors to disease progression. Remyelination of denuded axons is considered an effective way to protect neurons from damage and to restore neuronal function. The identification of several key molecules and pathways controlling the differentiation of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells and myelination has yielded clues for the development of drug candidates that directly target remyelination and neuroprotection. The long-term efficacy of this strategy remains to be evaluated in clinical trials. Here, we provide an overview of current and emerging therapeutic concepts, with a focus on the opportunities and challenges for the remyelination approach to the treatment of MS.

关 键 词：multiple sclerosis MYELINATION NEURODEGENERATION OLIGODENDROCYTES disease progression disease modifying therapy drug target animal models 

分 类 号：R744.51[医药卫生—神经病学与精神病学]