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This is interesting, and they do mention neurodegenerative disorders.



IBM & Genome Institute of Singapore Collaboration May Lead to Better Understanding of Cell Process Regulation

22 Sept 2006 -- IBM, in collaboration with the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), today revealed results from a joint research study that could potentially alter our views of how cell processes are regulated.

The two teams have discovered that microRNAs, small molecules that are an important regulatory component in the machinery of living cells, likely exert their influence much more widely than previously thought.

Extensive experiments conducted by the GIS validate findings generated by a mathematical model developed by the IBM team. The work is expected to provide insight on microRNA-based regulation in diseases such as cancers, neurodegenerative disorders, diabetes and others, and to suggest possible avenues for novel diagnostics and the development of therapeutics.

"Our collaboration with the GIS team illustrates the increasing impact that joint work between computational scientists and biologists can have in facilitating advances in basic biology," said Isidore Rigoutsos, Manager of the Bioinformatics Group in IBM Research's Computational Biology Center.

"The scientific community continues to reveal the increasing importance of microRNAs in determining a cell's type and function. This joint effort is generating new insights regarding the function of these molecules," said Bing Lim, Leader of the Stem Cell Biology Group at GIS.

The results, which are reported in today's issue of the journal Cell, suggest that some microRNAs may exert their influence by targeting as many as a few thousand messenger RNAs (the intermediate forms from which proteins are made), and that nearly all genes in higher organisms such as humans or mice may be under microRNA control. The analysis also suggests that likely tens of thousands of microRNAs remain to be identified. These results propose a significantly expanded view of microRNAs' influence within a cell and their potential roles in health and disease.

The report on this work, "A pattern-based method for the identification of microRNA binding sites and their corresponding heteroduplexes," by Miranda K., Huynh T., and Rigoutsos I. of IBM T.J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, NY; Tay Y., Ang Y.S., Tam W.L., Thomson A., and Lim B. of Genome Institute of Singapore, is published in the September 22nd issue of the journal Cell.

http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/press ... /20309.wss

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If you read more about "The Myelin Repair Foundation", you will see that they are top notch MS researchers sharing their trials and experiments to bring more insight and hopefully decent meds within the next five years.

When this foundation was started, the main thrust was to get scientists to share and work together to hasten the discovery processes. According to their web site, many new discoveries have been made in the past year and half and they appear on target to help MS'ers in the near future.

gwa

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When affiliated with the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, Dr. Noel Rose wrote an article on this idea of a common thread. He and the organization were instrumental in promoting a goverment committee which coordinates research into the "autoimmune" diseases. (I supplied a link to the plan in my first post to General Discussion, "Insulin--Could This Be the Key?")

I see NO chance that the American Diabetes Association or the Rheumatoid Arthritis Foundation or the National MS Society (or the others) will band together to find the common thread. (It might lead to an answer that would put them out of a job!)

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Hi Bob and Lynda Carol

Do either of you know if the greatest risk for an "auto-immune" disease, including MS, is being born a woman?

Maybe all the "auto-immune" gurus should pool their money with the Society for Women's Health Research. Take a look at this graph.

There's also thisfact sheet that has some info on MS.

Anyway I just couldn't resist asking the question and throwing this out there even though I personally don't think MS is an auto-immune disease. And guys, nothing against you either. IMO good gender based MS research just might mean more progress in understanding the disease and would be equally beneficial for everyone.

Sharon

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Hi
I do get some of my old symptoms back just before my period. It makes sense. I used to get scared until I found out that they were related. can't wait to get pregnant now.
NN

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Speaking of hormones, has anyone read any results of the trials of Progestin and Estradiol? I know it's in phase III but I haven't read anything.

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It seems that for a trial that is in phase III we would have heard something about it. I'm curious because as I was reading my birth control pills I realized that they contain both ethinyl estradiol and progestin (norgestimate). Doesn't seem to have done me that much good but who knows. Maybe I would be a lot worse without them. I'm sure the trial doses are probably different anyways.

Hi Scooby (and Bob)

I haven't seen any results from that trial either. It's a post partum study in France to see if there's an impact on reducing relapses post delivery in women with RRMS. The last time I checked (several months ago) the enrollment had been completed.

Maybe I would be a lot worse without them.

In addition to this recent study about MS and contraceptives there was another study reported at the 58th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurologists this spring. And, sorry, I can't seem to get the link to work.

Oral Contraceptive Use in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Armando H. Sena, Rui G. Pedrosa, Lisboa, Portugal, Maria J. Cascais, Maria L. Andrade, Veronique M. Ferret-Sena, Maria G. Morais, Lisboa, Portugal, Remy Couderc, Paris, France

RESULTS: Before treatment, the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) was about 25% lower in OC users in comparison to never-users (2.201.31 vs 2.911.31; p= 0.028). A similar difference in EDSS scores was found between OC users and never-users after 12 months of IFN- therapy. This influence of OC use was not associated with the dose or form of IFN- , alterations of apoE levels or the apoE polymorphism. CONCLUSIONS/RELEVANCE: OC use may have a protective effect on the severity of MS and this influence is maintained in patients under IFN- treatment.

So, it seems to me it's entirely possible you might be worse without them. Personally I think a 25% lower EDSS score is worth something.

Sharon