multiple sclerosis: brief report on new work

[Guest guest]

This new work on MS (and its correspondance) is dense and jargonous,

so I may not get down to real brass tacks with it for a long time.

Barnett and Prineas made a discovery that could shake MS studies to

the foundations, and could also cast some much-needed light on

cellular details of a (the?) spirochete-vs-host confrontation, if

indeed MS is caused by a spirochetal infection not substantially

complicated by wild cards like autoimmunity or hyperreactivity, but

instead rather straightforward - which seems to be a little bit more

than just a strong possibility. Altho, *all* the spirochetal

infections do still have important secrets, and that should always be

borne in mind.

Briefly, in examining very early MS lesions they found that apoptotic

death of (myelinating) oligodendrocytes occured *prior* to the arrival

of white blood cells, ie, *prior* to inflammation. This is a problem

for the autoimmune hypothesis, tho as the authors conceded in public

correspondance, " our results do not rule out antibody or other humoral

factors as effectors of oligodendrocyte apoptosis in early MS lesions "

- and to my knowledge such antibody could conceivably be generated

thru autoimmunity.

I am very glad to see this finding is generating at least a litte

discussion. Hopefully there will be alot more. But you know there wont

*necessarily* be alot more, if you are familiar with the unreasonable

reception that was accorded to the excellent Wirostko/ work on

uveitis bacteria.

This work was partly funded by the US Nat'l MS Society, which I

mention since I verged on bashing them in my previous post.

Marshall DVM might be correct about that group stifling investigation

of the possible spirochetal etiology - I dont know - but I'm afraid I

didnt find convincing the full text of his article on that etiology

and the history of its investigation.