Anacardic Acid: Potential Myelin Repair Therapy

Remyelination is the next ‘big thing’ in the treatment and management of multiple sclerosis.  The ability to repair damaged myelin in people living with multiple sclerosis has the potential to not only slow disease progression, but also to provide improvements in symptoms and quality of life.  As we know this is a topic of huge interest to our community, we will continue to highlight any new research that is published in this area.  A summary of one such study can be found below.

Research Summary: Anacardic acid induces IL-33 and promotes remyelination in CNS

WHAT?

This study investigated the potential for anacardic acid (a compound found naturally in the shells of cashew nuts) to promote remyelination.

WHO?

The research was conducted by a team from Vanderbilt University Medical Centre in Nashville, Tennessee (USA).

WHERE?

The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America or PNAS.  This is a high impact and prestigious journal, highlighting the significance of this work.  The abstract can be viewed here.

WHEN?

The paper was first published on August 17, 2020.

As always with these summaries, we will focus on a few key points from three sections of the paper (background, findings and outcomes).  We will discuss it in more detail in an upcoming Facebook Live Q&A and you are welcome to submit any questions that you may have under our post about this research via our social media accounts.

BACKGROUND #1:  Currently no treatments exist that can effectively repair damaged myelin on nerves in people living with multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND #2:  Researchers are attempting to find molecules or compounds that may help promote or activate this remyelination process for the treatment of multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND #3:  There is particular interest around cells known as oligodendrocyte precursor cells or OPCs.  These cells mature into oligodendrocytes, which are cells involved in the production of myelin.

BACKGROUND #4:  Previous studies have shown that another molecule, called IL-33, is able to drive the maturation of OPCs to oligodendrocytes.  Anacardic acid, a compound found in the shells of cashew nuts, has been shown to be involved in a process that may release IL-33.  Therefore, it was of interest to see whether anacardic acid could generate remyelination.

FINDING #1:  In lab cultures, treatment with anacardic acid led to the release of IL-33, maturation of OPCs and increased levels of myelin basic protein (the major protein found in myelin).  These are all positive signs for it to be able to help promote remyelination.

FINDING #2:  Researchers then tested anacardic acid in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis.  In this model, many of the mice will develop paralysis.  However, this study found that treatment with anacardic acid significantly reduced the number of mice that showed signs of paralysis.  

FINDING #3:  In the mice mentioned in Finding #2, they also found that mice treated with anacardic acid had less demyelination than those that were not treated.  This may help explain the effects seen in Finding #2.

OUTCOME #1:  In quotes online, the senior author of the paper, Subramaniam Sriram, MBBS, William C. Weaver III Professor of Neurology and chief of the Division of Neuroimmunology said the following:

“We see this as an exciting finding, suggesting a new avenue in the search for therapies to correct the ravages of MS and other demyelinating diseases.  These are striking results that clearly urge further study of anarcardic acid for demyelinating diseases”.

OUTCOME #2:  As always, we need to be careful not to get too excited about the outcomes of research from laboratory experiments and animal research.  Unfortunately, positive results in these studies do not always translate to successful trials in people living with multiple sclerosis.  However, as remyelination is such an important next step in the treatment of MS, any findings that show promise and identify potential new therapies are worth highlighting and discussing.  The variety of results from this research are certainly a cause for optimism and I echo the sentiments of Professor Sriram urging further research into the possible use of anacardic acid in multiple sclerosis.