Pathogenesis of inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy

Funded Activity Summary

This project will investigate the cause of Guillain Barre syndrome (GBS), a severe disease that causes paralysis of the limbs, and Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP), a similar disease that causes either repeated attacks of weakness or chronic weakness. These are important diseases of the peripheral nervous system. In GBS and CIDP, white blood cells move from the bloodstream to phagacytose (eat) the myelin that surrounds peripheral nerve fibres. Removal of myelin interferes with normal function of the nerves. The project will investigate 5 aspects of GBS and CIDP. (1) We will determine which component of myelin is recognised by white blood cells from patients with GBS and CIDP. We have performed preliminary studies indicating that a protein known as PMP-22 and gangliosides may be targets of the immune attack, but this needs to be confirmed. (2) We will study how the immune attack is turned off in GBS. (3) We will study whether and why the immune attack fails to be turned off in CIDP. (4) We will identify genetic markers that may predispose to GBS and CIDP. (5) We will investigate a novel animal model of GBS that we have induced in rats by inoculation with fragments of PMP-22 protein.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2002

End Date: 01-01-2004

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $421,980.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Neurology And Neuromuscular Diseases

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

There are no SEO codes available for this funding activity

Other Keywords

Autoimmunity | Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy | Demyelination | Guillain Barre syndrome | Myelin | Neuroimmunology | Neuropathy | T cells

Related Links