Immune regulation in multiple sclerosis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Regulation of immune cell function in patients with multiple sclerosis
IRAS ID
263030
Contact name
Margarita Dominguez-Villar
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 11 months, 30 days
Research summary
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system in which immune cells attack and destroy myelin. Myelin forms a protective layer around nerve fibres and its destruction causes communication problems between the brain and the rest of the body, including muscle weakness, dizziness, numbness, vision problems, etc. The immune system of these individuals incorrectly identifies myelin as a foreign body that needs to be destroyed. Work from my laboratory and others have demonstrated that some white blood cells (called lymphocytes) are directly involved in this destruction, and there are other lymphocytes that usually inhibit the activity of the former (called regulatory T cells), that do not work properly in multiple sclerosis. The aims of this study are to identify the mechanisms by which lymphocytes get activated to destroy myelin, and the defects in the function of regulatory T cells. Furthermore, we will determine the mechanisms by which some of the drugs that are currently being used to treat subjects with multiple sclerosis control the function of both types of lymphocytes, with the objective of identifying new mechanisms and targets that could potentially be amenable to therapeutic intervention.
In order to carry out this study, we will obtain peripheral blood from different groups of patients with multiple sclerosis: new onset or untreated, treated with Ocrelizumab, treated with Fingolimod. These two treatments have been shown to affect the cells of the immune system, but the mechanisms of action are not clearly understood. Patients will be selected and recruited by Dr Antonio Scalfari (consultant specialist in neurology) during their routine visits to the MS clinic at Charing Cross Hospital. The research will be performed at Imperial College London, Faculty of Medicine (St. Mary’s campus).REC name
South Central - Berkshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/SC/0308
Date of REC Opinion
10 Sep 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion