Grant: Doctoral Award - Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarships

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease where the normal immunological function is disrupted, and immune cells attack the central nervous system. Myelin - the insulation around the nerve crucial for electrical conduction - is targeted and destroyed by a dysregulated immune response. Any part of the central nervous system can be affected, and lesions may cause unpredictable neurological deficits. The most common form of MS is called "relapsing-remitting" because it manifests with episodes of neurological dysfunction followed by slow recovery, which can be incomplete and leave the patient with severe disabilities. Decades of research in the field has given rise to a number of anti-inflammatory therapies, which reduce immune-mediated injury and curb relapsing events. However, no treatment has been developed that can repair myelin and unambiguously save axons. In this research project, we set out to evaluate whether an innovative treatment with transplantation of regulatory T (Treg) cells may enhance repair in addition to reducing inflammatory injury. Treg depletion has been linked to the development of autoimmune diseases and was recently associated with the inability to remyelinate. Based on these findings, we hypothesize that the injection of Treg cells may have a remyelinating effect and induce functional repair. This project will be carried out in three steps: 1) Evaluating the remyelinating potential of Treg cells transplant in the optic nerve and its neuroprotective effect on the retina; 2) Elucidate the processes involved by comparing two models of MS: inflammation-induced and inflammation-independent; 3) Carry out longitudinal studies to assess long-term effect of Treg cells transplantation on the integrity of the nervous system. This project may aid us in the development of a novel treatment for patients with MS by reducing inflammation and enhancing recovery at the same time - a unique opportunity and the first step towards a treatment breakthrough.