Immune cells can take on healing abilities to repair nerve fibers!

[DIM]

When given a specific set of chemical cues, immune cells called neutrophils are able to take on healing abilities that allow them to help repair damaged nerve fibers, a study by U.S. researchers found.

The researchers hope to build on this discovery to create new treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological disorders that are marked by nerve damage.

“Our new study shows that patients’ own cells can likely be used to deliver safe and effective treatments for these devastating conditions,” Andrew Jerome, PhD, a co-first author of the study at The Ohio State University, said in a press release.

Benjamin Segal, MD, a professor at Ohio State and senior study author, added that the ultimate goal of this project “is to develop treatments using these special cells, to reverse damage in the optic nerve, brain, and spinal cord, thereby restoring lost neurological functions.”

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41590-024-01836-7