Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 26, 2026

Comprehensive Autopsy Program for Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis
09:41

Comprehensive Autopsy Program for Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis

Published on: July 19, 2019

Evolution of MS lesions to black holes under DNA vaccine treatment

Athina Papadopoulou1, Stefanie von Felten, Stefan Traud

  • 1Department of Neurology, University Hospital Basel, Petersgraben, Basel, Switzerland. papadopouloua@uhbs.ch

Journal of Neurology
|January 7, 2012
PubMed

Insights

BHT-3009 did not overall reduce persistent black holes (PBH) in multiple sclerosis (MS). However, low-dose BHT-3009 may reduce PBH risk in patients with higher anti-myelin basic protein (MBP) antibody levels.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroimmunology
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Background:

  • Persistent black holes (PBH) are linked to axonal damage and disability in multiple sclerosis (MS).
  • Understanding factors influencing PBH formation is crucial for MS management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate if BHT-3009, a DNA plasmid encoding myelin basic protein (MBP), affects the risk of new MS lesions becoming PBH.
  • To investigate if pre-treatment anti-MBP antibody levels modify BHT-3009's effect on PBH development.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of MRI scans from 155 MS patients in a Phase II trial.
  • New lesions were tracked for PBH conversion at 48 weeks.
  • Subgroup analysis of 46 patients with pre-treatment anti-MBP IgM levels.

Main Results:

  • No significant overall reduction in PBH risk was observed with BHT-3009 treatment.
  • A significant interaction was found: 0.5 mg BHT-3009 reduced PBH risk in patients with higher pre-treatment anti-MBP IgM levels (p < 0.01).

Conclusions:

  • BHT-3009 did not demonstrate an overall effect on preventing PBH formation in MS.
  • Low-dose BHT-3009 may offer a reduced risk of PBH in a subset of MS patients with specific pre-existing immune responses (anti-MBP antibodies).

More Related Videos

Interview: HIV-1 Proviral DNA Excision Using an Evolved Recombinase10:20

Interview: HIV-1 Proviral DNA Excision Using an Evolved Recombinase

Published on: June 16, 2008

Generation of a Novel Dendritic-cell Vaccine Using Melanoma and Squamous Cancer Stem Cells12:43

Generation of a Novel Dendritic-cell Vaccine Using Melanoma and Squamous Cancer Stem Cells

Published on: January 6, 2014

Related Concept Videos

Detection of Black Holes01:10

Detection of Black Holes

Although black holes were theoretically postulated in the 1920s, they remained outside the domain of observational astronomy until the 1970s.
Their closest cousins are neutron stars, which are composed almost entirely of neutrons packed against each other, making them extremely dense. A neutron star has the same mass as the Sun but its diameter is only a few kilometers. Therefore, the escape velocity from their surface is close to the speed of light.
Not until the 1960s, when the first neutron...
Viral Mutations00:36

Viral Mutations

A mutation is a change in the sequence of bases of DNA or RNA in a genome. Some mutations occur during replication of the genome due to errors made by the polymerase enzymes that replicate DNA or RNA. Unlike DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase is prone to errors because it is not capable of “proofreading” its work. Viruses with RNA-based genomes, like HIV, therefore accrue mutations faster than viruses with DNA-based genomes. Because mutation and recombination provide the raw material for adaptive...
Skin Cancer01:30

Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is a type of cancer that occurs when there is an abnormal growth of skin cells, usually triggered by damage to the DNA within the skin cells. It is primarily caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or artificial sources like tanning beds. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer worldwide, and its incidence continues to rise.
Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC): BCC is the most common type of skin cancer, accounting for about 80% of cases. It typically develops in...
Mismatch Repair01:20

Mismatch Repair

Organisms are capable of detecting and fixing nucleotide mismatches that occur during DNA replication. This sophisticated process requires identifying the new strand and replacing the erroneous bases with correct nucleotides. Mismatch repair is coordinated by many proteins in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
The Mutator Protein Family Plays a Key Role in DNA Mismatch Repair
The human genome has more than 3 billion base pairs of DNA per cell. Prior to cell division, that vast amount of genetic...
Multiple Sclerosis l: Introduction01:19

Multiple Sclerosis l: Introduction

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that affects the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. It is an inflammatory demyelinating disorder and a leading cause of neurological disability in young adults.EpidemiologyMS commonly begins between 20 and 40 years of age and is twice as common in women. Its exact cause remains unclear, but genetic susceptibility contributes, with higher risk in first-degree relatives and identical twins. A greater...
Cancer Vaccines01:30

Cancer Vaccines

Cancer treatment vaccines are a rapidly evolving field that offers a promising approach to immunotherapy. Unlike traditional vaccines that prevent diseases, cancer treatment vaccines are designed to treat existing cancers by stimulating the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.
Cancer vaccines come in two categories: preventive (prophylactic) and treatment (active). Preventive vaccines, such as the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, protect against viruses that cause certain...