top of page
Myra Sheikh

UVA’s Dr. Mariano Garcia-Blanco Preventive Treatment for MS

The University of Virginia’s Dr. Mariano Garcia-Blanco has led a group of researchers in identifying a series of processes in cells that suppress the risk of developing multiple sclerosis. This recent medical school discovery could prevent and provide more targeted treatment of multiple sclerosis in patients.


The researchers discovered a gene that serves as the primary controller for several other genes crucial to our exposure to MS and the proper operation of our immune systems at the center of the cell processes. “While there are effective treatments for multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases, most of these lead to general suppression of the immune system and make patients susceptible to infections or incapable of responding well to vaccines,” said Dr. Mariano Garcia-Blanco.


The most recent research by Garcia-Blanco and his associates provides critical insight into how our immune systems are tuned to stop MS. Additionally, it points out numerous crucial areas where things could go wrong. For instance, the researchers reached the conclusion that DDX39B, the master gene they discovered, is an "important guardian of immune tolerance." This implies that it assists in maintaining the body's immunological response at the proper levels to prevent the immune system from starting to target the body's own cells. That is what occurs in autoimmune illnesses like MS.


The researchers discovered that this master gene controls the function of another gene vital to the development of crucial immune cells known as T regulatory cells (Tregs), which have previously been connected to MS. This research can be used in order to create novel treatments and preventive measures. Researchers and medical professionals now have more enticing targets to work with as they attempt to better understand the underlying causes of multiple sclerosis.


The team consisted of Minato Hirano, Gaddiel Galarza-Muñoz, Chloe Nagasawa, Geraldine Schott, Liuyang Wang, Alejandro L. Antonia, Vaibhav Jain, Xiaoying Yu, Steven G. Widen, Farren B.S. Briggs, Simon G. Gregory, Dennis C. Ko, W. Samuel Fagg, Shelton S. Bradrick and Garcia-Blanco. This profound research has now been published in the medical journal E-Life.




Works Cited

Barney, Josh. “Medical School Discovery Advances Efforts To Prevent and Treat MS.” UVA Today, 8 June 2023, https://news.virginia.edu/content/medical-school-discovery-advances-efforts-prevent-and-treat-ms. Accessed 20 June 2023.

Ramsey, Lily. “UVA discovery advances efforts to prevent and better treat multiple sclerosis.” News Medical, 10 June 2023, https://www.news-medical.net/news/20230610/UVA-discovery-advances-efforts-to-prevent-and-better-treat-multiple-sclerosis.aspx. Accessed 20 June 2023.



4 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Komentáře


bottom of page