Therapeutic Remyelination Strategies in a Novel Model of Multiple Sclerosis: Japanese Macaque Encephalomyelitis

Abstract

During the first year of this grant, we have determined that intracranial injections of the Japanese macaque rhadinovirus (JMRV) can induce demyelinating disease, as assessed by histopathology, MRI, and symptoms. We have characterized the demyelinating lesions in these animals and show that they are very similar to demyelinating multiple sclerosis lesions. We have also developed novel tissue culture protocols to grow neurons and glial cells from fetal Japanese macaques, and we have begun testing how the virus influences these cells in vitro. Animals from specific maternal lineages are affected by virus injection while unrelated animals do not develop disease. We have determined that animals with specific haplogroups of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) are more likely to develop spontaneous disease than others. In the next year, we will continue to analyze the mechanisms by which JMRV triggers disease onset, which genes are linked to disease susceptibility, and how the virus influences cells in lesion microenvironments.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 2010
Accession Number
ADA540644

Entities

People

  • Larry S Sherman

Organizations

  • Oregon Health & Science University

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Brain
  • Cells
  • Demyelinating Diseases
  • Diseases And Disorders
  • Genetics
  • Magnetic Resonance
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Neuroglia
  • Sclerosis
  • Spinal Cord
  • Stem Cells

Fields of Study

  • Biology
  • Medicine

Readers

  • Medical Imaging.
  • Oncology (Cancer Research).
  • Virology (or Medical Virology).