New news on MS front

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NormB
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New news on MS front

Post by NormB »

Greetings,
I know this is out of bounds for CCSVI but I just wanted to let everyone know of this recent important development and for those who may not visit other sites.
Please excuse if this is considered an intrusion.


Bacterial toxin a potential trigger for multiple sclerosis(29/01/14)

Researchers from Weill Cornell Medical College have added to the growing body of evidence that multiple sclerosis may be triggered by a toxin produced by common foodborne bacteria. The presented their research at the 2014 ASM Biodefense and Emerging Diseases Research Meeting.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system characterized by blood brain (BBB) permeability and demyelination, a process in which the insulating myelin sheaths of neurons are damaged. The disease is thought to be triggered in a genetically susceptible individual by a combination of one or more environmental factors. The environmental trigger of MS, however, is still unknown. According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the condition affects approximately 400,000 Americans and is, with the exception of trauma, the most frequent cause of neurological disability beginning in early to middle adulthood.

"We provide evidence that supports epsilon toxin's ability to cause BBB permeability and show that epsilon toxin kills the brain's myelin producing cells, oligodendrocytes; the same cells that die in MS lesions," says Jennifer Linden of Weill Cornell Medical College, who presented the research. "We also show that epsilon toxin targets other cells types associated with MS inflammation such as the retinal vascular and meningeal cells. Epsilon toxin may be responsible for triggering MS."

Epsilon toxin is produced by certain strains of Clostridium perfringens, a spore-forming bacterium that is one of the most common causes of foodborne illness in the United States. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that non-epsilon toxin producing C. perfringens strains cause nearly a million cases of foodborne illness each year.

Previous studies have suggested that C. perfringens, and in particular epsilon toxin, may play a role in triggering MS. Late last year Linden and her colleagues discovered C. perfringens type B (a strain that is not known to infect humans and produces the epsilon toxin) in a 21-year-old woman who was experiencing a flare-up of her MS. To further test their hypothesis Linden and her colleagues studied the behavior of the toxin in mice, specifically which cells it targeted.

They discovered that the toxin did target the brain cells associated with MS pathology. But that was not all they found.

"Originally, we only thought that epsilon toxin would target the brain endothelium cells and oligodendrocytes; we just happened to notice that it also bound to and killed meningeal cells. This was exciting because it provides a possible explanation for meningeal inflammation and subpial cortical lesions exclusively observed in MS patients, but not fully understood," says Linden.

They also tested samples of local foods for the presence of C. perfringens and the toxin gene. Of the 37 food samples, 13.5% were positive for bacteria and 2.7% were positive for the epsilon toxin gene.

Linden says these findings are important, because if it can be confirmed that epsilon toxin is indeed a trigger of MS, development of a neutralizing antibody or vaccine directed against epsilon toxin might stop the progression of the disease or prevent it from even developing.

Source: Eurekaalert! Copyright ©2014 by AAAS, the science society (29/01/14)

Comment by Norman Brisson just now
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I am very happy to hear new news on that front being SPMS myself but one thing does'nt quite fit in my logic of understanding, is how this all fit in the paradigm that MS is found more often in the temperate climate zones? Is there a report on if the bacteria(s) involved is more predominant in specific regions zones such as our temperate clime ? Anyone ?


Take Care All

NormB
'92 diag RR - '05 SP
On LDN since Sept. 2012 with better quality of life.
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Re: New news on MS front

Post by PointsNorth »

Thanks NormB,

Can you please provide link?

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Re: New news on MS front

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PN,

there are at least 3 different threads on this in the General Discussion section here.
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Re: New news on MS front

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NormB wrote:I am very happy to hear new news on that front being SPMS myself but one thing does'nt quite fit in my logic of understanding, is how this all fit in the paradigm that MS is found more often in the temperate climate zones? Is there a report on if the bacteria(s) involved is more predominant in specific regions zones such as our temperate clime ? Anyone ?
Sunligth -> Vitamin D -> gut health

Vitamin D helps regulate the gut microbiome (good bugs vs bad bugs).
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?ter ... microbiome
Vit D deficiency is a known risk factor or aggravate infections with Clostridium Difficile, a cousin of this MS bug.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?ter ... lostridium
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cheerleader
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Re: New news on MS front

Post by cheerleader »

There have been several bacteria associated with MS--including cpn. There have been viruses associated with MS--most visibly EBV. Looking for one, specific pathogen has lead to many papers, like this new one from Weill Cornell.

If we look at the variety of pathogens in the CCSVI paradigm, there is a theory which ties all of this disparate research together--endothelial permeability of the brain (and gut).
It is quite possible that venous stasis, or slowed cerebral drainage, could be responsible for the number of viruses (such as EBV and HHV) and bacteria (such as Cpn and Lyme) that have been associated with MS-by allowing these infectious agents to pass through the blood brain barrier. Here is the Buffalo review on this topic:

The association between EBV infection and CCSVI has not yet been explored; however, it could be hypothesized that venous stasis in the superior saggital sinus due to extracranial outflow impairment could affect the drainage of bridging veins that pass through the subarachnoid space (near the meninges and EBV-infected B-cell follicles) and contribute to EBV activation. The venous stasis hypothesis in the SSS may contribute to understanding why so many different viruses and bacteria [3,111] have been linked to increased MS susceptibility risk over the last 50 years.
http://www.expert-reviews.com/doi/abs/1 ... ern.11.117

The blood brain barrier is supposed to keep viruses and bacteria out of the central nervous system. Venous stasis, or slowed blood flow, would explain why so many infectious cells are passing into the brain and spine in MS.
http://ccsviinms.blogspot.com/2011/08/b ... d-ebv.html
Husband dx RRMS 3/07
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NormB
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Re: New news on MS front

Post by NormB »

Dear Cheerleader,
While at this stage of pathogens research for MS causes may or may not explain anything except that much more research is needed, I find the Weill Cornell Medical College has a more deepened understanding of the bacterias involvement.
What they claim at stake here is not the bacteria itself but the toxin produced by the said bacteria. C.Difficil and their cousins are known to provoke leaky gut syndrome by its toxin release.
Weill CMC quote: "We provide evidence that supports epsilon toxin's ability to cause BBB permeability and show that epsilon toxin kills the brain's myelin producing cells, oligodendrocytes; the same cells that die in MS lesions," says Jennifer Linden of Weill Cornell Medical College"

This is an entirely different claim and much more detailed in their explanation as you may notice there is no talk about immunity attack on the CNS but the toxin itself doing the myelin damage. If true, this is very big news as opposed to those who claim in generality that such bacteria or virus may have a stake in the causes.

In any case we all hope for advancements in new possibilities for a cure.

God Bless All

Norman
'92 diag RR - '05 SP
On LDN since Sept. 2012 with better quality of life.
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Re: New news on MS front

Post by Cece »

NormB wrote:In any case we all hope for advancements in new possibilities for a cure.
agreed
exciting news
ties in with ccsvi possibly
if there is slower flow or back-and forth flow, any toxins in the blood would get longer exposure to the blood brain barrier
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Re: New news on MS front

Post by cheerleader »

Norman--
If stuff gets posted on the CCSVI forum, it's going to be looked at in relationship to the vasculature and the endothelium. Comes with the territory. I was just trying to explain how BNAC was tying together all these buggers due to possible endothelial permeability.

To answer your question re: latitude, which is a really good question.

The researchers still don't even know how humans would be infected with c. perfringens, type B (the specific form of the bacteria) which is found in the soil and grazing animals. And the human gut is not very hospitable for this bacteria in the first place--so it's difficult to posit how it got there. They did see much higher levels of the antibody to the epsilon toxin in pwMS.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/267676.php
Is this due to the lack of clearance and permeability of the MS gut? Or the lack of healthy probiotics? Or endothelial dysfunction?
Taking care of the gut is obviously a wise thing to do.
But Dr. Vartanian says he is particularly excited about the possibility of a "probiotic cocktail" that can kill the pathogens:
"One of my favorite approaches is development of a probiotic cocktail that delivers bacteria that compete with, and destroy, C. perfringens types B and D. It would be such a beautiful and natural way to treat the gastrointestinal system and solve the problem."
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/267676.php

Jeff's been on a probiotic for seven years. He's also gluten free (the protein zonulin is a known disrupter of the endothelium.) Not sure if these measures have removed this particular strain of bacteria...but it sure hasn't hurt.
cheer
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dx dual jugular vein stenosis (CCSVI) 4/09
http://ccsviinms.blogspot.com
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Re: New news on MS front

Post by cheerleader »

also important to look at what this toxin does in animals...because the body is one unit. Researchers can't just look at the brain.
In experimental animals, epsilon toxin elevates the blood pressure, increases the vascular permeability, and causes edema and congestion in various organs including lungs and kidneys. Necrosis of the kidneys is also observed in lambs that have died from enterotoxemia (1, 2)..
http://www.jbc.org/content/276/19/15736.long
The Clostridium perfringens epsilon-toxin causes a severe, often fatal illness (enterotoxemia) characterized by cardiac, pulmonary, kidney, and brain edema.
http://iai.asm.org/content/75/4/1785.full


This is a much more global affect, which involves edema throughout the body. Blood pressure is elevated, there is edema and congestion in many organs, including heart, lungs and kidneys. These symptoms are not typically a part of MS.
just something to consider--
cheer
Husband dx RRMS 3/07
dx dual jugular vein stenosis (CCSVI) 4/09
http://ccsviinms.blogspot.com
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NormB
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Re: New news on MS front

Post by NormB »

Sorry to bring this on the CCSVI thread, just that I thought most pwms who frequent this site and not the other threads.

"also important to look at what this toxin does in animals...because the body is one unit. Researchers can't just look at the brain."

You are right Cheer as these toxins originate in the gut and finish in the brain crossing even the BBB when it even prevents the bacteria itself to cross.

In my case I was born and raised on a small farm working everything manually when hygiene was second in our thoughts as we had limited choice and means to do it by the books. I know the hygiene part is important because we nearly lost our 4 yr old daughter to C. Difficil. We did not stay on a farm at that time. Luckily the antibiotic Vancomycin had just came out and she managed to beat the bacteria after a month of hospitalisation and some of it in Icu.
Cheer many thanks on bringing much more info than my simple one front page medical news and Cece you make a valid point.

Again thank you and take care all.

Norm

"On LDN since Sept 2012 and feeling better for it."
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cheerleader
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Re: New news on MS front

Post by cheerleader »

Norm--
So sorry to read about your daughter! What a terrible scare for you--parents' worst nightmare. You have much more personal knowledge about this terrible bacteria than me and others here. I'm glad she was healed and came back home to you.
Thanks for sharing the research and your story. No need to apologize!!
cheer
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Re: New news on MS front

Post by hannakat »

This is one of the reasons I stopped coming to this site years ago. Nothing other than CCSVI needs discussed on this thread. It's a shame traffic isn't encouraged away from here and onto the other threads. I've found CCSVI to be a bust for most. Other issues remain.
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Re: New news on MS front

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Hi Hanna-
There are over 30 forums on this site...from diet, to alternative treatments, to all the approved DMDs, to stem cells. No need to stop visiting This Is MS, even if you're not interested in CCSVI.
People frequent the other forums, and there's lots of great information, and crossover. And I think the CCSVI hype has quieted--so many have moved on.

CCSVI is "a bust" if there is not adequate treatment for venous malformations, or aftercare, or lifestyle changes, or dealing with restenosis.
There was an interesting Canadian survey published, that showed that the majority of heart attack and stroke patients do not go to rehab, or change their diet and exercise levels, so they don't get better and often end up re-hospitalized. Does that mean angioplasty treatment is a "bust" for these patients? No. It simply means there is more to it than a medical procedure--it's a lifestyle.
http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/survivors- ... -1.1667694

Venoplasty for CCSVI is but one step in addressing the vascular connection to MS. Dr. Dake and Dr. Cooke have noted that the patients who had follow-up, monitored their coagulation numbers, changed their diet, found ways to exercise, and modified their lifestyles did the best. It's changed my husband's life, stopped his MS progression and reversed his gray matter atrophy...but it wasn't just venoplasty and adios. Something to consider.
http://ccsviinms.blogspot.com
cheer
Husband dx RRMS 3/07
dx dual jugular vein stenosis (CCSVI) 4/09
http://ccsviinms.blogspot.com
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Re: New news on MS front

Post by Cece »

Whether or not CCSVI is a bust might depend on what you spent on it and what you got out of it. I believe the premise is valid and in the long run, it will be proven. I am sickened by any pain or loss of money or false hope that has happened to anyone involved, because not everyone got the golden ticket outcome. I still like talking about CCSVI and I am glad the forum is here. I like it when new or old names show up. I am however finding it hard when friends' health is getting worse. I know when you make friends based around a common disease, and that disease is MS, then that's going to happen. It can however feel powerless at times. The research of CCSVI comes in fits and sputters at times. Two steps forward, one step back. Having looked at image after image of blocked jugulars, the pattern is recognizable, the problem is recognizable, and it's there for all the researchers to see as well. There are still a lot of unanswered questions and a provocative association between CCSVI and MS.
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