Study sheds light on brain cell changes in people with MS

Experts from the University of Edinburgh and the Karolinska Institute in Sweden analysed post-mortem brain samples from five people without neurological disease and four people with the most advanced form of multiple sclerosis, called progressive MS. Working with researchers from the healthcare company Hoffmann-La Roche, the team used an advanced genetic analysis technique called single nuclear RNA-Seq. This technique provides a snapshot of all the genes that have been switched on in a single brain cell, providing insights into how each individual cell functions.

The researchers showed for the first time, that there are several types of oligodendrocytes in the human brain, and that the ratio of these cells in people with MS differs from healthy people. These differences suggest the oligodendrocytes are functioning differently in the brains of people with MS, which might be key to understanding how disease progresses, as this may explain why their myelin repair process does not work as well. The study also found people have and different types of oligodendrocytes than mice. The findings suggest the cells may work differently in each species. This could have important implications for how findings from mouse studies of MS are interpreted. 

Multiple sclerosis is a lifelong condition that causes balance problems, fatigue and progressive disability. Around 2.5 million people are living with the condition worldwide. There are currently no treatments for the progressive form of the disease.

Professor Charles ffrench-Constant, of the Medical Research Council Centre for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, said: “We found that oligodendrocytes are a diverse population of cells and that different types are likely to have different functions in the brain.”

Professor Anna Williams, of the Medical Research Council Centre for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, said: “Understanding which types of oligodendrocytes are most beneficial in repairing myelin will be crucial for maximising the chances of developing much-needed treatments for MS.”

The study is published in Nature.  It was funded by the UK MS Society, the European Union and the European Research Council, The European Committee for Treatment and Research of Multiple Sclerosis and the Wellcome Trust, among others.