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MS聽Society of Canada and MS Scientific Research Foundation announce $3.6 million grant to understanding B cells for future MS therapies

The Multiple Sclerosis Society聽 of Canada and the Multiple Sclerosis Scientific Research Foundation announced a聽 $3.6 million grant to investigate the role of the B cell, a type of white blood聽 cell of the immune system, in contributing to the development and propagation聽 of multiple sclerosis. With collaboration between 看片视频 University, Universit茅 de Montr茅al and University of Toronto, world-leading MS experts Drs. Amit Bar-Or,聽 Alexandre Prat and Jennifer Gommerman will engage in a unique interdisciplinary聽 approach to identify and explain the role of B cells in MS.聽聽

To date, modern scientific understanding has considered MS聽 to be a disease controlled by the T cell, another type of white blood cell. Research聽 has shown that in MS, T cells mistakenly recognize and attack myelin, the聽 protective layer of fat covering nerves in the central nervous system, exposing聽 them to damage. Research in T cells has led to the development of therapies聽 that aim to control or block the effects of harmful T cells.

However, a surprising discovery in emerging studies has revealed聽 that therapies targeting B cells led to dramatic improvements in people living聽 with MS. Moreover, B cells have聽 recently been found in areas of the brain associated with progressive MS, which聽 is a debilitating form of MS that currently has no treatments. These recent聽 studies have led scientists to believe that B cells, which were previously聽 overlooked in MS, are significant contributors to the disease.

鈥淏ased on the encouraging clinical trial results of B cell聽 depletion in people with relapsing-remitting MS, the question is no longer whether聽 B cells are important contributors to MS, but how they contribute,鈥� said Dr.聽 Amit Bar-Or, clinician and scientist at the Montreal Neurological Institute at聽 看片视频 University, and one of the study鈥檚 lead investigators. 鈥淢embers of our聽 team have recently discovered that different types of human B cells exist. Some聽 B cells promote inflammation, while others are actually able to limit inflammation.聽 This collaborative study will allow us to address important emerging issues聽 relevant to understanding and better treating MS, especially progressive MS.鈥�

鈥淭his funding provides a unique occasion to pool scientific聽 resources and expertise from three major MS research centres in Canada to study聽 the influence of B cells in the development of MS,鈥� said Dr. Alexandre Prat,聽 neurologist and researcher at the Centre hospitalier de l鈥橴niversit茅 de聽 Montr茅al and professor at the Faculty of Medicine of Universit茅 de Montr茅al.聽 鈥淚t is truly an exciting moment for us, and for the MS community in general.鈥�

Drs. Bar-Or, Prat and Gommerman will collaborate to uncover聽 fundamental knowledge about how B cells influence the course of MS. This聽 information will point to clues about the cause of MS, while enabling them to聽 explore the potential of B cell-targeted treatments for people living with all聽 forms of MS.

鈥淥ur multi-centre team provides a large range of expertise,聽 from clinical experience to extensive knowledge in immunology. Our聽 collaborative research will accomplish our goal to learn more about B cells in聽 MS, so that one day we could develop therapies for progressive forms of the聽 disease,鈥� said Dr. Jennifer Gommerman, scientist and associate professor at the聽 Faculty of Medicine of University of Toronto.

鈥淎s Canada has the highest rate of MS in the world, Canadian聽 researchers have a special interest in finding new ways to think about the聽 cause of MS and improve therapies for Canadians living with the disease,鈥� said Dr.聽 Karen Lee, vice-president of research, MS Society of Canada. 鈥淲e are excited聽 that this research team is breaking new ground in the field of MS research that聽 will further our knowledge about the complexity of MS. We believe that an end聽 to MS is achievable, and this B cell study will bring us closer to finding the聽 answers we need and ending MS.鈥�

鈥淚 think that finding the cause and cure for MS involves聽 innovative thinking and ideas as well as working together to ultimately end聽 this disease,鈥� said Andrea Butcher-Milne, who was diagnosed with MS in 1997. 鈥淚t聽 gives me comfort that researchers in our country are doing their best to聽 realize the promise of a brighter future for people with MS.鈥�

This study has been selected by the Canadian聽 Institutes of Health Research to be presented at this month鈥檚 Caf茅 Scientifique聽 held on February 18 in Toronto. Caf茅 Scientifique is an interactive series of聽 presentations that allow scientists to share their research advances to the聽 general public. For more details, visit the .

SOURCE: The Multiple Sclerosis Society聽 of Canada and the Multiple Sclerosis Scientific Research Foundation

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