Oxidized phosphatidylcholines (OxPCs) are abnormally modified fat molecules found in areas of injury in MS. Using cell and animal modeling, the researchers found excess OxPCs lead to two types of injury prominent in MS lesions, demyelination and neurodengeneration. Microglia, a type of immune cell in the central nervous system, respond to OxPCs and help prevent excess damage by eating up these harmful molecules. These findings suggest OxPCs are major contributor to lesion development and expansion inMS. The next goal is to find medications that can overcome this newly identified cause of brain injury in MS.

The full article can be found here. (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-021-00801-z)

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