Regulation and function of immune cell proteases in multiple sclerosis.

Proteases, enzymes that cleave amino acid bonds within proteins, are crucial molecules in health and disease. Previous studies have implicated proteases in multiple sclerosis pathogenesis, for example by helping immune cells to travel from the blood into brain tissue or by removing the protective sheath (myelin) that covers nerve fibers. With support from the Charcot Foundation, we will study the interactions between proteases derived from immune cells, interleukins (molecules that regulate the actions of immune cells) and systems that regulate protease activity during the different phases of MS. Consequently, we may discover key elements to direct new approaches for MS therapy and explain why some approaches do not work.