A major focus of the Vartanain lab is understanding how new MS lesions are formed. We believe that a bacterial toxin produced in the gut is responsible for new MS lesion formation. Specifically, we believe that the epsilon toxin produced from the bacteria Clostridium perfringens is an environmental cause of MS in people who are genetically-at-risk for the disease. In 2015 in the journal of PLOS One, we published a study that demonstrated that MS patients have increased exposure to both the epsilon toxin and the bacteria that produces it compared to healthy controls. By measuring the amount of antibodies against epsilon toxin, we demonstrated that 10% of MS patients have antibodies against ETX, while only 1% of healthy controls had antibodies against ETX. The presence of antibodies against epsilon toxin in human biological fluids indicates prior exposure to the toxin. Excitingly, an independent research group in the UK has recently confirmed these results in 2018 in the Multiple Sclerosis Journal. Using independent techniques, they found that 43% of MS patients had antibodies to epsilon toxin, while only 16% of healthy controls were positive. This validation of previously published results is an important part of the scientific process and confirms that different researchers using different techniques can achieve similar results. Taken together this work contributes to the growing body of evidence that epsilon toxin may be responsible for new MS lesions. By identifying the cause of new MS lesions, we can develop treatments that stop new MS lesions from forming. Clinical trials are currently underway in the Vartanian lab to directly detect the actual epsilon toxin and the bacteria that produce it in MS patients versus healthy controls. We are also currently developing treatments that can stop the devastating effects of epsilon toxin.
By
Jennifer LInden PhD