title: Mycobacterium leprae-induced demyelination: a model for early nerve degeneration.
abstract: The molecular events that occur at the early phase of many demyelinating neurodegenerative diseases are unknown. A recent demonstration of rapid demyelination and axonal injury induced by Mycobacterium leprae provides a model for elucidating the molecular events of early nerve degeneration which might be common to neurodegenerative diseases of both infectious origin and unknown etiology. The identification of the M. leprae-targeted Schwann cell receptor, dystroglycan, and its associated molecules in myelination, demyelination and axonal functions suggests a role for these molecules in early nerve degeneration.
authors.affiliation: The Rockefeller University, Bronk building, Room 501, 1230 York Avenue, New York, New York 10021, USA. rambuka@imap.rockefeller.edu
authors.forename: Anura
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rambukkana
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D020278:Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases, CNS / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D049030:Dystroglycans / Q000276:immunology*; D049028:Dystrophin-Associated Protein Complex / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000276:immunology*; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000276:immunology*; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D049028:Dystrophin-Associated Protein Complex; D049030:Dystroglycans