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Missing link found between brain, immune system -- with major disease implications

Kyla

ᴀɴɴɪᴇ ɢꜱᴀᴍᴩᴇʟ
Messages
721
Location
Canada
Structural and functional features of central nervous system lymphatic vessels
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature14432.html

Received, 30 October 2014
Accepted, 20 March 2015
Published online, 01 June 2015

One of the characteristics of the central nervous system is the lack of a classical lymphatic drainage system. Although it is now accepted that the central nervous system undergoes constant immune surveillance that takes place within the meningeal compartment1, 2, 3, the mechanisms governing the entrance and exit of immune cells from the central nervous system remain poorly understood4, 5, 6. In searching for T-cell gateways into and out of the meninges, we discovered functional lymphatic vessels lining the dural sinuses. These structures express all of the molecular hallmarks of lymphatic endothelial cells, are able to carry both fluid and immune cells from the cerebrospinal fluid, and are connected to the deep cervical lymph nodes. The unique location of these vessels may have impeded their discovery to date, thereby contributing to the long-held concept of the absence of lymphatic vasculature in the central nervous system. The discovery of the central nervous system lymphatic system may call for a reassessment of basic assumptions in neuroimmunology and sheds new light on the aetiology of neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases associated with immune system dysfunction.
 

Kyla

ᴀɴɴɪᴇ ɢꜱᴀᴍᴩᴇʟ
Messages
721
Location
Canada
And here is a write-up of the findings:
missinglinkf.jpg


Maps of the lymphatic system: old (left) and updated to reflect UVA's discovery. Credit: University of Virginia Health System

In a stunning discovery that overturns decades of textbook teaching, researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have determined that the brain is directly connected to the immune system by vessels previously thought not to exist. That such vessels could have escaped detection when the lymphatic system has been so thoroughly mapped throughout the body is surprising on its own, but the true significance of the discovery lies in the effects it could have on the study and treatment of neurological diseases ranging from autism to Alzheimer's disease to multiple sclerosis.

....

remainder of the article here:

http://m.medicalxpress.com/news/201...og.likes"]&action_ref_map=[]#&ui-state=dialog
 
Last edited:

anciendaze

Senior Member
Messages
1,841
Ideally, this would cause a massive shift in research concerning neurological diseases toward examination of what lymphocytes found in these structures have been doing. Unfortunately, that is not the way big science operates.

Any modern research program has a certain resemblance to a freight train.

It is put together from many parts, but most of these do not provide motive power. It takes a long time to assemble, and to get moving. Once underway it is unable to stop quickly. Attempts to change direction based on discoveries made after it is underway are likely to be catastrophic. It is a poor vehicle for exploring completely unfamiliar territory.
 

SDSue

Southeast
Messages
1,066
Even Kipnis was skeptical initially. "I really did not believe there are structures in the body that we are not aware of. I thought the body was mapped," he said. "I thought that these discoveries ended somewhere around the middle of the last century. But apparently they have not."
Hubris at it’s finest.

When will scientists and physicians realize that they will never know everything about the body. They behave as if each discovery is “the final frontier” and no more can possibly be found. They’re like Kindergartners with a box of 8 crayons who think they’ve mastered all the colors in the world.

How many times must this happen for medicine to finally grasp that every new technological advance will bring new knowledge, and with it, another vindicated patient group.
 

anciendaze

Senior Member
Messages
1,841
Yes, it seems to be quite a finding. I think it's rare to make a discovery about human anatomy these days, isn't it?

Could it link in with Fluge and Mella's ideas about epithelium cells as well, I wonder?
These vessels, like other kinds, are examples of endothelial tissues. Endothelial dysfunction is one term I've been tracking. It also turned up in that research on B-cells producing peptides that limited recruitment of T-cells to inflamed tissues. Depleting B-cells with defective signalling would then make sense to correct the problem.

It appears the reason these lymphatic vessels were overlooked was that standard techniques in dissection separate dural tissues from meninges, destroying them. Just because humans perceive dura and meninges as separate structures with different functions is no reason Nature has to agree.
 

Sasha

Fine, thank you
Messages
17,863
Location
UK
I noticed this under its less brainy title on EurekaAlert - didn't realise there was already a thread on it - thanks, @Scarecrow!

Here's my post, for others whose heads this news may also be soaring over:

Just spotted this one on Ryan Prior's Forgotten Plague FB page - this study has just been published in Nature:

EurekaAlert said:
Missing link found between brain, immune system -- with major disease implications
EurekaAlert said:
  • Vessels directly connecting brain, lymphatic system exist despite decades of doctrine that they don't
  • Finding may have substantial implications for major neurological diseases
  • Game-changing discovery opens new areas of research, transforms existing ones
  • Major gap in understanding of the human body revealed
  • 'They'll have to change the textbooks'
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., June 1, 2015 - In a stunning discovery that overturns decades of textbook teaching, researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have determined that the brain is directly connected to the immune system by vessels previously thought not to exist. That such vessels could have escaped detection when the lymphatic system has been so thoroughly mapped throughout the body is surprising on its own, but the true significance of the discovery lies in the effects it could have on the study and treatment of neurological diseases ranging from autism to Alzheimer's disease to multiple sclerosis. [...]

Read the rest here:

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-06/uovh-mlf052915.php#.VW2yhlQ0cct.facebook
 

Jonathan Edwards

"Gibberish"
Messages
5,256
This looks like a massive massive finding. What do you make of this @Jonathan Edwards ? :D

Well it has a certain simple elegance to it as a piece of science. Whether it makes much difference to any theories of brain disease I am not sure. In general we are interested in why lymphocytes and monocytes get into brain and misbehave. Lymphatics are the recycling bins of tissues. We had always assumed that lymphocytes would have to traffic out of brain somehow - unless they just died there. I am not sure that anybody had much idea where they would pop out but they could exit through venules or arachnoid granulations maybe. It looks as if they may exit through tubular structures similar to lymphatic vessels elsewhere. Lymphatic endothelium does not really have the trafficking significance of venular endothelium, which has adhesion molecules to facilitate cell emigration. Lymphatics don't want to have these because the idea is just to form a funnel to let cells waft out of tissues - a sort of drainpipe.

One potential implication is that dendritic cells and monocyte derived cells may carry antigen away from the brain down lymphatics and present it to T cells, in the same way they do for other tissues. This would be a further argument against the theory that CNS antigens are somehow hidden from the immune system.
 

Scarecrow

Revolting Peasant
Messages
1,904
Location
Scotland
Who is Ray Perrin - not Reggie's brother I presume?
No but you might laugh all the same.

He's an osteopath who, many years ago, treated a cyclist for back pain. Several sessions later, back pain resolved, the cyclist told him that his ME was also improved. Based on that experience and feedback from other patients Perrin developed a therapy, known imaginatively as the Perrin Technique, which is a sort of hybrid of lymphatic massage and osteopathy.

Osteopaths have long believed that there is a connection between the brain and the lymphatic system. I've been to a talk given by Perrin and he uses the term 'waters of the brain' (beautifully arcane).

Looks like this may be that missing link.
 

Marky90

Science breeds knowledge, opinion breeds ignorance
Messages
1,253
One potential implication is that dendritic cells and monocyte derived cells may carry antigen away from the brain down lymphatics and present it to T cells, in the same way they do for other tissues. This would be a further argument against the theory that CNS antigens are somehow hidden from the immune system.

So the reason ritux works could be because there is an autoimmune process against something in the CNS?
 

Jonathan Edwards

"Gibberish"
Messages
5,256
No but you might laugh all the same.

He's an osteopath who, many years ago, treated a cyclist for back pain. Several sessions later, back pain resolved, the cyclist told him that his ME was also improved. Based on that experience and feedback from other patients Perrin developed a therapy, known imaginatively as the Perrin Technique, which is a sort of hybrid of lymphatic massage and osteopathy.

Osteopaths have long believed that there is a connection between the brain and the lymphatic system. I've been to a talk given by Perrin and he uses the term 'waters of the brain' (beautifully arcane).

Looks like this may be that missing link.

I always knew Reggie's brother was an osteopath - sort of felt it in my bones - or in my waters maybe.
 

Thinktank

Senior Member
Messages
1,640
Location
Europe
Your thread is featured on the mainpage and For a moment my lymebrain thought the title was - research confirms there is no... CFS-FIBRO-LYME
The last few words of the title are cut out and then your username is placed after that.

Note to self, don't read phoenixrising right after waking when brain is in lymemode to avoid heartattack.