A recently identified group of immune cells saved damaged nerve cells from death and promoted nervous system repair, a new study suggests.
This finding may represent new promise for treating neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
The study, “A new neutrophil subset promotes CNS neuron survival and axon regeneration,” was published in the journal Nature Immunology.
Due to the poor regenerative capacity of the CNS, people with MS experience progressive disability. That’s why new therapies are needed to relieve and reverse this neurological decline.
“I treat patients who have permanent neurological deficits, and they have to deal with debilitating symptoms every day. The possibility of reversing those deficits and improving the quality of life of individuals with neurological disorders is very exciting,” Benjamin Segal, MD, said in a press release. Segal is the study’s senior author and co-director of the Neurological Institute at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
The modulation of the immune response to CNS damage has been considered as a potential strategy to promote neuroprotection and regeneration. A deeper knowledge of immune cells and their mechanisms of action may lead to the development of novel immunotherapies envisioning the functional recovery of brain injuries.
An earlier study in murine models injured in the optic nerve showed that neuronal damage was prevented by zymosan, a fungal cell wall extract with neuroinflammatory properties. This compound induced inflammation, leading to the rescue of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) from death and promoting their regeneration. (RGCs are a type of neuron located near the inner surface of the retina of the eye).