Signaling networks in MS: a systems-based approach to developing new pharmacological therapies

The pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS) involves alterations to multiple pathways and processes, which represent a significant challenge for developing more-effective therapies. Systems biology approaches that study pathway dysregulation should offer benefits by integrating molecular networks and dynamic models with current biological knowledge for understanding disease heterogeneity and response to therapy. In MS, abnormalities have been identified in several cytokine-signaling pathways, as well as those of other immune receptors. Among the downstream molecules implicated are Jak/Stat, NF-Kb, ERK1/3, p38 or Jun/Fos. Together, these data suggest that MS is likely to be associated with abnormalities in apoptosis/cell death, microglia activation, blood-brain barrier functioning, immune responses, cytokine production, and/or oxidative stress, although which pathways contribute to the cascade of damage and can be modulated remains an open question. While current MS drugs target some of these pathways, others remain untouched. Here, we propose a pragmatic systems analysis approach that involves the large-scale extraction of processes and pathways relevant to MS. These data serve as a scaffold on which computational modeling can be performed to identify disease subgroups based on the contribution of different processes. Such an analysis, targeting these relevant MS-signaling pathways, offers the opportunity to accelerate the development of novel individual or combination therapies.

The effects of endurance training on selected coronary risk factors in children

The effects of regular aerobic exercise on blood concentrations on high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and prostacyclin were studied in 18 healthy sedentary boys who exercised on a bicycle ergometer for 1 h, four times per week, for 2 months at 75% of their physical working capacity. The results were compared with those of 10 control boys who did not participate in any specific program. The exercise group revealed a significantly higher mean high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and 6-keto-PGF1a concentration at the end of the training program (p < 0.005 and p < 0.001, respectively). These results suggest that regular aerobic exercise has beneficial effects upon the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and 6-keto-PGF1a in healthy young boys and may be beneficial in the long term, by preventing atherosclerosis of coronary artery disease in adulthood.