Old MS lesions can be divided into chronic inactive and chronic active lesions. Chronic inactive lesions do not change over time. Chronic active lesions, however, continue to cause damage to nerve fibers. Chronic active lesions are characterized by the presence of activated microglia cells which are immune cells found in the brain.
Researchers including me, at Dr Susan Gauthier's imaging lab at Weill Cornell used an MRI technique called QSM (quantitative susceptibility mapping) developed by Dr. Yi Wang, a physicist in the Department of Radiology at Weill Cornell to study these lesions.
The imaging technique allowed us to indirectly measure levels of activation of the microglia immune cells in chronic active lesions.
We analyzed levels of activity of these immune cells over time in patients with MS who were treated with Tecfidera which is an FDA approved oral medication for MS, as compared to a cppaxone. In addition, we collaborated with Dr Pitt from Yale University, to strengthen our results by culturing microglia cells in the laboratory and studying changes in their inflammatory state after adding Tecfidera to the cells.
Our results showed significant evidence that Tecfidera plays a direct role in decreasing the activity of these immune cells. With our results, we can continue looking at treatments for MS that directly target the harmful immune activity in chronic active lesions.
The results of this study was recently published in a peer reviewed neurology journal.
Nicole Zinger, BS