Editor's Summary

28 February 2008

Multiple sclerosis targets

A large-scale proteomic analysis of tissue samples from multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions from different stages of the disease has identified proteins peculiar to brain lesions associated with different disease stages. Several new potential therapeutic targets were found. Two proteins in particular showed signs of damage during the chronic active period of the disease. One, called tissue factor, is involved in the initiation of blood clotting and the other, protein C inhibitor, in anti-inflammatory pathways. Administration of activated protein C or the anticoagulant hirudin slowed disease progression in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis, suggesting that the coagulation cascade has a previously unsuspected role in MS pathogenesis.

Article: Proteomic analysis of active multiple sclerosis lesions reveals therapeutic targets

May H. Han, Sun-Il Hwang, Dolly B. Roy, Deborah H. Lundgren, Jordan V. Price, Shalina S. Ousman, Guy Haskin Fernald, Bruce Gerlitz, William H. Robinson, Sergio E. Baranzini, Brian W. Grinnell, Cedric S. Raine, Raymond A. Sobel, David K. Han & Lawrence Steinman

doi:10.1038/nature06559

Abstract | Full Text | PDF (732K) | Supplementary information