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I thought it was reasonably interesting to discover that this bacterial antigen is so similar to myelin that it can trigger an autoimmune response if you become infected with it. However, it becomes a bit more interesting when you realise that this bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, is the agent which causes Lyme disease.

Hypothesized role of galactocerebroside and NKT cells in the etiology of multiple sclerosis.

Med Hypotheses. 2007 Sep 20;

Authors: Blewett MM

According to the molecular mimicry theory, multiple sclerosis (MS) develops when the immune system mistakenly attacks a component of the myelin sheath that is structurally similar to a foreign epitope. The glycolipid galactocerebroside (GalC) is a major component of myelin. As lipids comprise between 70% and 85% of myelin, glycolipids should be investigated as candidate autoantigens in MS. GalC displays broad structural similarities to the Borrelia burgdorferi glycolipid antigen BbGL-2 and to the Sphingomonas antigen GalAGSL. In principle, therefore, these bacteria may induce an autoimmune attack on the myelin sheath. GalC is also structurally similar to natural killer T (NKT) cell ligand alpha-galactosylceramide (alpha-GalCer). Further studies must be performed to clarify the role of GalC in the activation of NKT cells and the development of MS.

PMID: 17889444 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Wow, Dom!
Thanks for this post. I was just going to call a local Lyme specialist today to book an appt. for my husband. We are avid hikers, have spent time in parks known to have tics with Lyme, and also have a dog that's had tics.

Spinal tap didn't show Lyme, but I've learned that this can happen. Megan Blewett has been researching this corrolation for a while. Here's a link to some more of her research.

http://www.walyme.org/CC-MS-Blewett.htm

Thanks for giving me the impetus to follow up on the Lyme link-
Best,
AC

I've only had a quick look at that link, but it looks really interesting: thanks for that. And good luck with the specialist – keep us up to date with how you get on!

Check this out, Dom...
Megan Blewett, the author of the lyme borreliosis supposition, is a teenager! She spoke before the US Congress in June, regarding her research.
I found this link on the John Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (my 12 year old son is a member, I'll have to print this out for him!)

From the JH site:

Intrigued by the Disease
In 6th grade, Megan got intrigued by multiple sclerosis (MS), the unpredictable and chronic disease that attacks the myelin sheaths surrounding nerves of the brain and spinal cord, causing a myriad of symptoms from muscle weakness, to pain, to problems with coordination and speech. In 8th grade she started mapping the disease's incidence in her home state of New Jersey. Now, at age 18, she's already spent five years performing geostatistical analysis of MS and several other diseases, including ALS, Lyme disease, and breast cancer.

http://www.cogito.org/Interviews/Interv ... ntID=16771

Boy, this put a smile on my face today. I needed it...

-Cheerleader

Hi to all,

I too have MS (for many years) but did get a Lyme test and am now treating for Lyme disease; so I thought I'd jump into this thread.

I do want all of you to know that I visit MS sites to offer and share what I know. I can understand that this isn't an easy thing to understand. It took me a full year to get to that place.

I'm just like you --I was scared to death about how and if my MS would progress as my neuro said "could very well happen".

with that:

Cheerleader,

Please consider getting your husband tested for Lyme at IGeneX Labs in Palo Alto CA.
igenex.com
They specialize in Tick Borne Illnesses and test for ALL the Lyme bands. the ELISA test is just not sensitive enough.
here's a link explaining the "poor" testing
by Melissa Kaplan.

for all,

Here's a map that Melissa Kaplan shared regarding the deaths of MS and the deaths of Lyme patients in the US.

http://www.canlyme.com/megan_geostatist ... ysis2.html

Thanks for the link about Melissa; she's a rather remarkable young woman.

the very best,
tory