Autoimmune diseases demyelination

Multiple scelerosis is an autoimmune disease mediated by T and B lymphocytes and macrophages. This is characterized by extensive inflammation and demyelination of the myelin sheath that surrounds the nerve fiber. The death of the nerve fiber results in a variety of symptoms that can lead to impairment of movement, paralysis, and death. 

Slow viruses are becoming increasingly suspect in the instances of much more common diseases, particularly the autoimmune diseases. An autoimmune disease may be defined as a disease wheiein the immune system of the body does not direct its attack on an invading foreign substance, but instead at the body s own tissue. Many authorities consider rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis as autoimmune diseases. The precise causes of these diseases have remained obscure. Multiple sclerosis is a demyelinating disease and has variously been described as an autoimmune disease, a viral disease, or an autoimmune disease provoked by a virus. Epidemiological studies indicate that from 3 to 23 years may elapse between the time of exposure to the virus and the onset of symptoms. Further evidence points to involvement of a myxovirus. Measles virus is of this kind. 

MS is an autoimmune disease that attacks the myelin sheath of oligodendrocytes around the neuronal axons. This allows the axonal cytoskeleton to be damaged, bringing about secondary axonal loss and persisting neurological dysfunction. The characteristic pathology is of a lesion or plaque in the CNS white matter, formed by inflammation and demyelination and these can be classified into active, chronic active, or chronic silent plaques [86]. 

To understand the role of the different constituents of oligodendrocytes, Schwann cells, and myelin, and the cellular interactions, it is necessary to consider each constituent and the abnormalities that occur in experimental models and in human pathology. Each specific compound of myelin, and many factors involved in myeli-nation, can give rise to genetic diseases or autoimmune diseases. There are many animal models and human diseases that help in understanding the demyelination process. 

Brinar VV, Petelin Z, Brinar M, Djakoviv V, Zadro I, Vranjes D (2006) CNS demyelination in autoimmune disease. Clin Neurol Neurosurg 108(3) 318-326. 

Preparations for intravenous administration are mainly used in patients with general immune deficiency states (primary or secondary) or diseases like idiopathic thrombo-cjhopenic purpura (ITP) and autoimmune diseases (5,6). Neurological disorders (for example Guillain-Barre syndrome and chronic demyelinating polyneuropathy) have been treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (7-9). 

MS is an inflammatory demyelinating autoimmune disease affecting the CNS. In MS, the immune system attacks the myelin sheath of nerve cell fibers in the brain and spinal cord. MS is predominantly a T-lymphocyte mediated disorder, and cytokines may therefore have a key role in the pathogenesis of the disease. MS is the only neurological disorder where therapeutic manipulation of the cytokine system influences development of the disease (Adibhatla and Hatcher,... 

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