Comments
Damage to the central nervous system from trauma could be reversed with the help of a new antibody, Australian researchers have claimed.
The new antibody works by blocking the effects of a molecule called lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) that is released in response to injury, promoting inflammation leading to scarring and nerve cell death.
After a neurotrauma event, such as a spinal cord injury, the body produces an inflammatory response that often leads to scarring and permanent nerve damage for which there are currently no treatment options, said the research team led by Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute’s Yona Goldsmith and Centre for Eye Research Australia’s Alice Pebay.
The team demonstrated that by administering the antibody soon after the injury occurred, it was possible to preserve nerve cells and limit the amount of scarring, while substantially reducing the losses in motor function.
Goldshmit said the study reinforced earlier research on the role of LPA after an injury.
“By blocking the effects of LPA, we can help nerve cells survive a traumatic injury and this will hopefully lead to better outcome for patients in the future,” Goldshmit said.
Comments
COMMENT NOW
Comments
Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.
We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of TheHindu Businessline and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.