A method to diagnose the intractable disease multiple sclerosis early has been found. The 4D brain map of primates, which shows a pattern of brain disease similar to humans, played a decisive role.
Dr. Daniel S. Reich, a researcher at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, noted on the 28th that they found a protein that causes multiple sclerosis using the 4D brain map of primates, published in the international journal "Science."
Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease in which the immune cells of the human body attack the protective sheath that wraps around the spinal cord or nerve cells, instead of external invaders. When the sheath is destroyed, nerve signals are not transmitted properly, causing the body to stiffen and vision to become impaired. The exact cause has not yet been determined. The strongest hypothesis is that a virus contracted in childhood transforms the immune cells, triggering an autoimmune response.
To find the cause of multiple sclerosis, researchers studied the brains of the marmoset, a type of primate. After inducing multiple sclerosis in the marmosets, they created a map of the changes over time to identify the causes. Marmosets have brains that are closer to humans than the mice previously used in studies, and they can be observed in real time using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), just like humans.
The researchers created a 4D map analyzing brain genes and the movement of nerve cells in marmosets. The analysis showed that astrocytes gathered in the brain areas where multiple sclerosis was induced. These star-shaped cells play a role in creating and maintaining the blood-brain barrier. In normal situations, they protect the brain and supply nutrients to the nerve cells.
The researchers confirmed that the astrocytes that gathered in the area of multiple sclerosis excessively secrete a protein called "SERPINE1," which protects the brain. SERPINE1 helps immune cells enter and repair functions when nerve cells are damaged. However, if immune cells excessively go towards the nerve cells, they attack even healthy cells. This results in an autoimmune disease.
The researchers noted that this study could enable early diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. While multiple sclerosis could only be confirmed after brain damage occurred, analyzing the distribution of astrocytes could allow for predictions and early responses. Research Institute Reich stated, "We expect that quickly identifying inflammatory responses in the brain will lead to the early diagnosis of multiple sclerosis and the development of treatments to slow down or prevent its progression."
References
Science(2025), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adp6325