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Project

Lipid-containing extracellular vesicles as mediators of remyelination and biomarkers in mutliple sclerosis (R-11589)

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that affects young adults in the prime of their life. Current therapies reduce disease activity but are unable to stop neurological decline as disease advances. Therefore, there is an urgent need for therapies that are not only effective in the early relapse-remitting stage of the disease, but also in the chronic stage when endogenous repair mechanisms such as remyelination frequently fail. To date, the processes underlying impaired remyelination remain poorly understood. However, there is now strong evidence that it lies within extracellular factors to which the myelin-forming cells are exposed. In this project, I aim to define the impact of extracellular vesicles (EVs) on remyelination. EVs are small vesicles secreted by cells that are able to facilitate communication between cells by transporting lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. Considering the importance of lipids in remyelination and in driving immune cell function, I will focus on the lipid cargo within EVs released by specific immune cells called macrophages. I hypothesize that EVs released by macrophages contain disease- or repair-promoting lipids that direct repair in the CNS. Obtained results will lead to increased insights into MS lesion development and repair, promising new therapeutic strategies in the treatment of MS, and the identification of lipid biomarkers for disease progression.
Date:1 Jan 2021 →  31 May 2023
Keywords:derived extracellular vesicles, lipids, multiple sclerosis, Myelin macrophages, remyelination
Disciplines:Autoimmunity, Neurological and neuromuscular diseases