‘Nanoparticles’ may help scientists develop MS jab

By John von Radowitz

Monday, November 19, 2012

Tiny synthetic particles could help scientists to develop vaccines against immune response diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), research has shown.

The "nanoparticles" trick the immune system into calming down and behaving normally.

In tests on mice, they halted a rodent version of relapsing-remitting MS, the most common form of the autoimmune disease.

Scientists believe the technology could be applied to a range of immune system disorders, including type-1 diabetes, food allergies, and asthma.

MS occurs when the immune system attacks myelin, the fatty insulation that surrounds nerve fibres. Breaks in the myelin coating prevent nerve messages being transmitted properly, leading to symptoms ranging from numbness and tingling to full-blown paralysis.

Current treatments for MS rely on suppressing the immune system, which can make patients susceptible to infections and cancer.

Instead, the nanoparticle vaccine re-sets the immune system to stop the "friendly fire" attacks.

The nanoparticles, made from two biodegradable compounds that naturally occur in the body, are attached to myelin proteins.

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‘Nanoparticles’ may help scientists develop MS jab