US Medical Supplies Blog

Multiple Sclerosis was first discovered by a French neurologist name Jean-Martin Charcot in 1868. Charcot also helped to discover or research many other conditions, including Lou Gehrig’s Disease. A recent study has found a link between a enzyme known as PAD2 and Multiple Sclerosis.

Multiple Sclerosis falls into a group of diseases called demyelinating diseases. A demyelinating affects the nervous system and causes the protective covering around the nerves to break down. This protective covering is called the myelin sheath. When this sheath or outer covering begins to break down, the nerves are not able to transmit signals as easily.

In those affected by Multiple Sclerosis, as the myelin deteriorates, the body often experiences muscle spasms and muscle weakness. The symptoms can actually vary between people and usually progressively get worse. The disease usually manifests itself in early age and is more common among those of the female gender.

For many years doctors have sought to discover why the myelin begins to break down, because this could hold the key to identifying and treating multiple sclerosis at a young age. An earlier study had shown that a enzyme called PAD2 occurred in those affected by Multiple Sclerosis at a higher level than average.

Using this information, a group of Canadian researchers set out to explore the link between PAD2 and myelin deterioration in multiple sclerosis patients. Using a mouse that had been genetically modified to produce extra PAD2, they discovered that myelin deterioration occurred at a much more rapid pace than normal. The mouse also exhibited increased behavioral problems.

The results of these finding are two fold. The model they used to create the mouse offers a new and possibly better way of studying demyelinating diseases.

The study, which was released by the Disease Models and Mechanisms Journal, also directly links PAD2 to the deterioration of the myelin stealth. This not only allows for doctors to potentially diagnose someone with demyelinating diseases, like multiple sclerosis, much faster, but could also help in treating these diseases, if a way of blocking PAD2 is discovered.