Abstract

Endoplasmic reticulum stress response as a potential therapeutic target in multiple sclerosis

Author(s): Meghann Teague Getts, Daniel R Getts, Adam P Kohm and Stephen D Miller

Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory demyelinating disorder of the CNS. Since current treatments are aimed at nonspecifically downregulating inflammation, and natural mechanisms of repair and remyelination within the CNS are inadequate for recovery of function, multiple sclerosis patients presently only have available treatments that delay symptom progression. The complex nature of this disease means that only multifaceted treatments hold the promise of a cure. Recent studies indicate that the endoplasmic reticulum stress response, a cellular pathway that allows a cell to survive and recover from a stressful event, could be elicited to help the myelin-generating and myelin-support cells of the CNS survive inflammatory insult.