Generation of a New Animal Model for Studying Multiple Sclerosis
- 技術優勢
- There are several advantages the current model offers: shRNA is simple, safe, efficient, and can be delivered to any region of the brainshRNA induces neuro-inflammation and white matter degeneration by mimicking RNA virus infection, but without actual virus pathogens.AAV virus can transduce many different species from rodents to primates, which enables to generate more relevant human MS models in primatesAAV episomal DNA is very stable in mouse brain and maintains expression more than 9 months post-injection. Neuro-inflammation and white matter degeneration in mice were observed several months post-injection.
- 技術應用
- This new invention provides a more realistic model to use for the development of potentially new and better therapeutic drugs for the treatment of MS.
- 詳細技術說明
- Researchers at UC San Diego have developed a double-stranded shRNA-induced (scAAV8-D1shRNA virus) neuro-inflammation and white matter degeneration animal model that mimics the pathological conditions of human MS. The dsRNA production can be induced in host cells by either virus infection or via aberrant epigenetic alteration of the host cell genome which may overcome the limitations of the current well-established animal models.
- *Abstract
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Human multiple sclerosis affects millions of people and is predominately a chronic immune-mediated disease of the central nervous system (CNS). The disease is estimated to affect 2-3 million in 2013 on a global basis. The value of the multiple sclerosis therapeutics market will rise from $17.2 billion in 2014 to approximately $20 billion by 2024. However, the pathogenic mechanisms underlying disease progression are not understood and currently there is no cure for the disease. Therapeutic drugs are developed using two classical experimental autoimmune/allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) models.
Experimental autoimmune/allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) is the most extensively studied animal model for human MS. However, EAE mainly affects spinal cord white matter, whereas human MS displays demyelination and axonal injuries in the cerebral and cerebellar cortex. In addition, human MS progression cannot be studied in EAE.
The second major animal model is RNA virus (TMEV, Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus) induced demyelination, which is considered as a more relevant model to human MS. However, demyelination is caused by persistent TMEV virus infection that is not observed in human MS. Additionally, the TMEV virus can only infect mouse, but not other rodents or primates, limiting its utilization in establishing MS models in other species. Because the TMEV virus is a mouse pathogen, animal facilities often refuse such studies. A new animal model that more closely resembles the pathology of human multiple sclerosis is urgently needed.
- *Principal Investigation
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Name: Xianjin Zhou
Department:
- 其他
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State Of Development
This is a research investigational model.
Intellectual Property Info
A provisional patent has been submitted and is available for licensing.
Related Materials
Tech ID/UC Case
28805/2017-269-0
Related Cases
2017-269-0
- 國家/地區
- 美國
