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Innate immune cell signalling as a Cannabinoid target in Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a disease that targets the brain/spinal cord, leading to impaired function of the human body and symptoms including pain, a decline in cognitive function and muscle spasticity. Dr. Downer’s laboratory has recently published research evidence that blood cells isolated from patients with MS, when compared directly with blood cells from healthy individuals, behave differently in terms of the inflammatory balance in the cell, which is heightened in cells from MS patients. This project asks two questions. Firstly, why do blood cells from MS patients display increased inflammation? Secondly, can new therapies, in the form of cannabis-based drugs, modulate the heightened inflammation in blood cells?
This project will investigate the impact of cannabinoids, the ingredients found in the Cannabis sativa plant, on inflammatory changes in blood cells isolated from MS patients. This is important, not only in improving our understanding of inflammatory changes that occur in individuals afflicted by MS, but may expand our knowledge on how cannabinoid-based therapies, such as Sativex, may act to target the symptoms of the disease. Although Sativex dampens spasticity in MS patients, the specific mechanism by which this drug acts is uncertain. However, large bodies of research evidence back-up the therapeutic potential of cannabinoid compounds, particularly in relation to MS. Indeed, cannabinoids can regulate the survival of nerve cells and possess clear anti-inflammatory properties. This may be promising for MS, but at present more research is needed to determine the specific effects of cannabinoids in humans suffering from MS.