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Has myelin basic protein received a fair trial in the treatment of multiple sclerosis?
Author(s) -
Alvord Ellsworth C.,
Shaw ChengMei,
Hruby Sarka,
Kies Marian W.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
annals of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.764
H-Index - 296
eISSN - 1531-8249
pISSN - 0364-5134
DOI - 10.1002/ana.410060602
Subject(s) - multiple sclerosis , myelin basic protein , medicine , myelin , physical medicine and rehabilitation , neuroscience , psychology , immunology , central nervous system
Autosensitization to some central nervous system antigen still remains one of the best hypotheses for the continuing pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). Enough is now known about the cause, pathogenesis, and treatment of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) to test this hypotesis. Reports of therapeutic failure of the encephalitogen myelin basic protein (BP) in the treatment of MS have their counterparts in similar therapeutic failures in EAE. Only highly inbred strain 13 guinea pigs respond much less well to simple BP therapy, and monkeys hardly at all. In both strains of monkeys so far studied, a nonspecific adjunctive factor–an antibiotic in Macaca mulatta and a steroid in Macaca fascicularis —is also required. Accordingly, human trials of the therapeutic efficacy of BP in MS should include its administration in large concentrations together with an adjunctive agent.