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Researchers report that a single molecule called IL-6 is the cause
of transverse myelitis (TM), an autoimmune disease in
the central nervous system that’s related to multiple sclerosis.
The study found that levels of IL-6 are dramatically elevated in
the spinal fluid of people with TM. The finding may help in the
development of treatments for both TM and multiple sclerosis.
“This is the first time a single culprit has been identified as
causing a CNS (central nervous system) autoimmune disease,”
researcher Dr. Adam Kaplin, a psychiatrist and assistant professor
of medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said
in a prepared statement.
IL-6 is a chemical messenger that immune system cells use to
communicate with each other. Most TM patients suffer a single attack,
but 15 percent to 30 percent of TM patients go on to develop full-blown
multiple sclerosis. TM usually results in permanent impairment,
including leg and arm weakness, bowel and bladder dysfunction, pain and
paralysis.
The researchers decided to investigate IL-6 because TM patients suffer
from memory impairment and depression. Previous research implicated
IL-6 in mood and concentration disorders.
The study appears in the October issue of the Journal of Clinical
Investigation.
© 2005 The Canadian Press
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