Oligodendrocyte progenitor cells differentiation induction with MAPK/ERK inhibitor fails to support repair processes in the chronically demyelinated CNS

August 26, 2023 /
MS Research Study and Reports

 Tal GanzOmri ZveikNina FainsteinMarva LachishAriel RechtmanLihi SoferLivnat BrillTamir Ben-HurAdi Vaknin-Dembinsky

First published: 23 August 2023

 

Tal Ganz and Omri Zveik contributed equally to this study and share joint first authorship.

Abstract

Remyelination failure is considered a major obstacle in treating chronic-progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). Studies have shown blockage in the differentiation of resident oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPC) into myelin-forming cells, suggesting that pushing OPC into a differentiation program might be sufficient to overcome remyelination failure. Others stressed the need for a permissive environment to allow proper activation, migration, and differentiation of OPC. PD0325901, a MAPK/ERK inhibitor, was previously shown to induce OPC differentiation, non-specific immunosuppression, and a significant therapeutic effect in acute demyelinating MS models. We examined PD0325901 effects in the chronically inflamed central nervous system. Treatment with PD0325901 induced OPC differentiation into mature oligodendrocytes with high morphological complexity. 

However, treatment of Biozzi mice with chronic-progressive experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis with PD0325901 showed no clinical improvement in comparison to the control group, no reduction in demyelination, nor induction of OPC migration into foci of demyelination. PD0325901 induced a direct general immunosuppressive effect on various cell populations, leading to a diminished phagocytic capability of microglia and less activation of lymph-node cells. It also significantly impaired the immune-modulatory functions of OPC. Our findings suggest …

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