Proteases multiple sclerosis

While the specific mechanisms of action of interferon-pia and interferon-pib in MS are not fully understood, each interferon has a number of immune-mediating activities (see Section 7.1). A recent review article on multiple sclerosis observed The interferons reduce the proliferation of T cells and the production of tumor necrosis factor a, decrease antigen presentation, alter cytokine production to favor ones governed by type 2 helper T (Th2) cells, increase the secretion of interleukin-10, and reduce the passage of immune cells across the blood-brain barrier by means of their effects on adhesion molecules, chemokines, and proteases [2]. 

The breakdown and dissolution of myelin in multiple sclerosis also may be related to muscular dystrophy and emphysema. Multiple sclerosis has been attributed to the action of proteases, some of which are highly elevated in and around the plaques of multiple sclerosis (19). Again, the proteases responsible and their natural inhibitors are not known. 

In the CNS, the major demyelinating disorder is multiple sclerosis (MS). MS should be differentiated from other disorders in which the histologic appearance of the lesions and the relapsing and remitting clinical course are similar. Acute MS lesions, in addition to plentiful foamy macrophages with increased proteases, have perivascular FCA-positive lymphocytes, EMA-positive and... 

Gran, B. N. Tabibzadeh A. Martin E.S. Ventura J.H. Ware G.-X. Zhang J.L. Parr A.R. Kennedy A. M. Rostami. The protease inhibitor, Bowman-Birk Inhibitor, suppresses experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis a potential oral therapy for multiple sclerosis. Mult. Scler. 2006, 12, 688. 

A very interesting example may be the use of Bowman-Birk Inhibitor (BBI) from soybeans in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Proteases generated during inflammation are involved in the induction of tissue damage during inflammatory demyelination in the central nervous system. Both in vitro and ex vivo, BBI inhibited myelin basic protein-specific proliferation of lymph node cells. BBI reduced the activity of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9 in spleen cell supernatants and was detected in the central nervous system of treated rats. BBI suppresses experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, it can be administered orally, and it is safe and relatively inexpensive. It may have a therapeutic role in patients with MS (Gran et al., 2006). 

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