Abstract:

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that affects oligodendrocytes and myelin. Loss of myelin leads to progressive axonal damage and neuronal death resulting in neurodenegeration and functional disability. Several inflammatory factors influence the development of this neurological disorder. It is generally accepted that autoreactive T lymphocytes migrate towards the CNS then initiating an immune reaction upon encountering the specific myelin antigen. Remyelination is the natural repair mechanism and is important to restore the fast saltatory nerve conduction. In addition it restores the axon-myelin unit and may thus preserve the axon from secondary degeneration. This regenerative process implies the migration of oligodendroglial precursors cells (OPC) towards demyelinated regions and their differentiation into mature myelinating oligodendrocytes. Unfortunately, this process is often incomplete in MS patients and current treatments are based on the use of immunomodulatory drugs, which diminish the inflammatory reaction, but they do not repair existing damage.  For this reason, extensive research is being conducted in the area of remyelinating therapies in order to stop disease progression and restore neurological disabilities.